A Team of Five
by Kyubi Rendan
Summary: Naruto is placed on a rather irregular team after becoming a genin. Whats so strange about it? It's a team of four genin and one jounin. And two of the genin are heirs to their clans.
1. Chapter 1: Genin

_**A Team of Five**_

So this is my first crack at writing but I can take a bad review so please be as honest as you want. This is mostly a Naru/Hina fic...duh. Anyway just to clear some stuff up I write speech like people would really talk but tell me if it gets confusing. This is gonna start off from the beginning of the real story with my own twists and ill be going through all the main scenes again with tweaks but I'll also be redoing the fight scenes. After the escape of Sasuke though its all me people so be patient and stick with me.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing I swear.

_**Chapter One: Genin**_

This was gonna be a bad day he just knew it. Hatake Kakashi had always had a reputation for disliking any potential genin he received almost immediately. Even worse he had never passed a single group. Even after having several discussions with the Hokage about how his standards were too high Kakashi refused to accept any student who did not meet his standards for teamwork. Today was going to be a bad day for Kakashi and he knew it because today was the day where each jounin sensei chose the students to be on there teams.

Elsewhere several chuunin teachers, a few jounin and the Hokage sat in a meeting deciding which potential genin would go with which instructor. Suddenly and to no ones surprise Kakashi walked in two hours late and sat down between the two other instructors Yuuhi Kurenai and Sarutobi Asuma. "Don't tell me you started without me"? He said smiling, though it was hard to tell with the mask covering his face.

Everyone sweat dropped except Kurenai who, with a vein popping noticeably from her forehead and trying to remain calm said "We waited for an hour and a half but you still didn't show up".

"Oh my bad I got lost-"

"on the road of life" everyone finished for him with a groan.

"Ahem, may we continue please?" asked the sandaime hokage, Sarutobi.

"Sorry Hokage-sama, so who do I get"?

"Well, we figured Asuma could take the Yamaka, Nara and Akimichi since their fathers worked well together and their techniques compliment one another fairly well." replied Iruka the previous teacher of the new genin.

"And I'll be taking a recon team consisting of Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and a Hyuuga." Kurenai told Kakashi simply still trying not to throttle him for his lame excuses.

"I see but what do you mean "a" Hyuuga if I'm not mistaken only one was in this years graduating class?" Kakashi asked turning to Kurnei.

Kurnei, a little taken back at Kakashi who obviously had done some research on the students for a change answered "There was only one at first, Hyuuga Hinata, but at the request of her father Hinata's younger sister who is a year younger was aloud to take the test early and passed. So now we will have two three man teams and a four man team. And that is gonna be yours Kakashi." Kurenai informed Kakashi with a bit of satisfaction.

At this Kakashi twitched "Wait a minute why do I get an extra student, three's bad enough! protested a slightly outraged Kakashi.

"Because you showed up late for the meeting" Kurenai yelled with a venomous glint in her eye.

Frightened Kakashi settled back down not wanting to invoke the woman's wrath. "So um who do I get" asked a sheepish Kakashi.

"Well we figured it would make sense to give you the Uchiha and since it's tradition to put the highest and lowest scoring students together you also get Uzumaki Naruto", replied Iruka.

At the sound of the name a few of the present chuunin flinched and even scoffed at the idea of having the fox kid as a ninja. This however didn't go unnoticed by Iruka who shot them a death glare but before he could speak Asuma spoke up "Naruto? He's the last in the class but I heard he stole the forbidden scroll AND took out Mizuki"?

Hearing this Iruka perked up and beaming replied "Yup he learned the Kage Bunshin (shadow clone) no jutsu in only a few hours and used it to defeat Mizuki so I figured that deserved a pass". Kakashi looked slightly impressed but didn't say anything.

"So its agreed, Kakashi you will take Uchiha Sasuke and Naruto as well as the only remaining genin a kunoichi by the name of Haruno Sakura" the Hokage told Kakashi. At this Kakashi simply nodded knowing arguing would be pointless. The Hokage then continued "now all that remains is to decide which one of the Hyuuga will be placed on which team".

It was decided quickly that it would be best for Hinabi, who had a better grasp of the bloodline limit of the Hyuuga to be placed on the reconnaissance team with Kiba, Shino and Kurenai. That of course left Hinata to be placed on team seven with Kakashi who it was agreed could be a better teacher to the shy girl who needed a little more help in training.

As Iruka left the meeting he thought he would go speak to Naruto since he was hungry and figured he knew where the young genin would be.

Iruka was less surprised to find Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen than for Kakashi to be late for the meeting. As Iruka stepped in he greeted his ex-student "Hey Narut-" but was cut off by a loud, hyper-active shout from a loud hyper-active and blonde boy with a Konoha forehead protector he wore proudly on his head "IRUKA-SENSEI are you here to buy me ramen".

"Hehe sure Naruto" Iruka laughed to himself. He knew full well this was coming "I was actually looking for you too talk about becoming a genin" he finished as he ordered two bowls or miso pork ramen.

Quickly finishing the bowl in front of him, which happened to be his tenth, Naruto started in on the one Iruka had got him and asked "So what did you have to talk to me about"?

"Well I've already told you about the dangers of being shinobi but I wanted to tell you that your going to have a very interesting team" Iruka told him through a mouthful.

"What do you mean interesting sensei"? Naruto questioned curiously.

"I can't tell you much but what I can tell you is it's gonna be different from the other teams I guess you could call it special", the older ninja explained.

Just then both Iruka and Naruto heard a small eep as someone ducked around the corner.

Hinata had been doing errands all day and felt like having something to eat so she headed for the ramen stand she knew Naruto frequented. She didn't really expect to find him there and only half of her wanted to see him sitting there the other half was petrified at the very thought. As Hinata rounded the corner bringing her into the street she could hear voices coming from the small ramen stand. Thinking the voices sounded kinda familiar she turned into the shop and froze in her place. There sitting at the bar with Iruka-sensei was her Naruto-kun.

Letting out a sound closely resembling a mouse Hinata dove around the corner before they could see her but it was too late they had noticed her jump. With her eyes clenched tight Hinata stood frozen to the spot.

"Please don't let him notice me" she slowly opened her eyes and there he stood with his face right up to hers with a worried look on his face. All she could get out was another squeak and she went so red so fast it would have worried most people but all she could think about at that moment was how close Naruto was to her.

"Hey Hinata are you ok you not looking so good" he brought the back of his hand up to her head and before he could finish saying "You feel war-" she was out cold on her back.

Iruka poked his head around the corner and couldn't help but laugh at seeing Hinata's eyes roll back and then pass out on the ground. Naruto whipped around looking frightened mumbling quickly "I swear its not my fault". This of course only made Iruka find it more hilarious.

Between fits of laughter Iruka managed to get out "No its ok she just fainted".

Naruto noticeably relaxed. He thought he would get the blamed for Hinata falling. "Umm sensei shouldn't we help her up now"

"Oh right, I'll get her home you go and get ready for your new sensei tomorrow" Iruka said as he picked Hinata up.

Naruto ran into the shop finishing off Iruka's ramen (his was long gone) and started off home to get his equipment and as he ran off he yelled back "Thanks Iruka-sensei".

"Later Naruto and good luck" Iruka called back "you'll need it" he said more to himself and Naruto didn't hear. "Both of you" he said looking at Hinata"

So lame, good, bad grammar, good grammar? Help me out here.


	2. Chapter 2: New Teams Old Rivals

_**A Team of Five**_

Dragon Man 180 and Universal Hope as my first reviewers ever I would like to dedicate this chapter to you.

So I'm hopein to get out like a chapter every week but we'll see how that goes.

Oh and sorry about the puny ass first chapter hehe it was kinda short but I like cutting off after a day passes.

**Disclaimer**: Don't own don't wanna and don't care

_**Chapter Two: New teams old rivals**_

Naruto was faced with a bit of a problem. He had overslept...again.

"_How the hell did this happen I set my clock early and everything" _he thought as he ran as fast as his short legs could carry him.

What Naruto failed to realize is while he had set his clock an extra hour early he had also tripped over something, not knowing that it was the cord to his alarm clock, while pacing back and forth all night. Resulting in the mad dash for the academy.

"KUSO"

SMACK!

He made it just in time to have the door shut in front of him and was now sitting in the back nursing minor concussion.

"Naruto what the hell are you doin' here this is for those who passed the final"

Snapping to attention and completely forgetting his headache proudly presented the forehead protector he had got from Iruka-sensei.

"Hehe I did pass and keep lippin me and I'll show you how I got this" Naruto shot back only half kidding.

As everyone was turning around Haruno Sakura and Yamaka Ino came tearing into the room.

But it seemed Sakura won their little race because when she reached the seat next to Sasuke...

"YATTA in your face Ino-pig"

Which scared the crap out of the guys, particularly Sasuke who wasn't more than two feet away when she yelled, and pissed off the girls, especially Ino who just glared daggers at the pink haired girl and sat down near the back.

As everyone waited for the sensei Naruto just tried to burn holes in Sasuke with his eyes while Sakura just drooled and Sasuke went back to staring off into spaces. Oh and Hinata tried not to black out again as Naruto hadn't noticed he sat down right beside her.

Finally Naruto was fed up.

"Get lost idiot"

"Bite me" Naruto retorted from his perch on Sasuke's desk inches from his face.

"Get outta Sasuke-kun's face Naruto"

"Kick his ass Sasuke"

"Yeah him into the ground"

"Oh really I...Oh sorry man" said an anonymous genin as he turned around and bumped into Naruto.

"It burns like hell fire" Naruto screamed coughing and spitting after his lips locked with Sasuke's.

"You are so gonna die Naruto" Sasuke said equally as pissed while gagging.

"Uh my bad?"

Sakura was in shock she couldn't believe someone had stolen her Sasuke's first kiss and it was Naruto! He was so gonna die.

Hinata was in a similar state of shock. Except instead of Sakura's wanting to hit something she was slightly embarrassed for the both of them and slightly jealous if that was possible.

Naruto turned around sensing danger just in time to see a very pissed off Sakura cracking her knuckles.

After the beating that followed Iruka finally showed up with the list of the teams.

"Good morning everyone"

"Ohayo sensei" the class chorused some a little less enthusiastically than others.

As Iruka started sorting the new genin into their teams they left to lunch for their break before they needed to return for the jounin.

Finally no one was left but Sakura, Sasuke, Hinata and of course Naruto.

"Hey sensei what the hells goin on we have too many people left here"

"Yea he's right genin teams are only supposed to have three genin and a jounin but there are four of us left" added Sakura.

"_Why you little..." _Iruka tried not to snap at the sudden out bursts. "Well it seems because of Hyuuga Hinabi's early graduation we have an extra genin so the four of you will be put on a team"

Everyone looked slightly surprised even Sasuke now seemed interested. Then it slowly sank in to Naruto, Sakura and Hinata who's team they had just been placed on.

"_N-Naruto-kun...on my team...I" _this was just about all Hinata now had going through her head. The news of her younger sisters graduation hadn't come as much of a surprise as the rest since she had already been told by her father. She didn't really want to think about that discussion.

"Wait that means I'm on Sakura's team oh hells yes tha...wait that means I got stuck with Sasuke too" realization hit Naruto like a ton of bricks as he was stuck between joy and disgust. Completely looking over the strange team arrangement as well as Hinata.

"Wooot wait till I rub this in Ino's face YA" needless to say Sakura didn't find a problem with being on the new team. Inner Sakura "Fuckin eh" thumbs up.

Sasuke had several emotions going at once though he didn't show it quite like his new team mates. He was caught between disliking his team right away, being intrigued by the new set up and furious someone younger than him had graduated at the same time as him.

"You have an hour be back here by then for your new sensei" Iruka said as he left slightly amused by the mess Kakashi had been handed.

In the time it took for Iruka to leave the room, Naruto had already started in on Sakura.

"So how about we eat lunch together and work on our team work Sakura-chan"

"Back off Naruto or that last beatin' ell look like a love tap and that's a pretty lame pick up line." Sakura shot back menacingly. "Sasuke-kun how bout me and you go and ...work ...on ...teamwork" Sakura finished hanging her head in defeat.

Sasuke just walked out the door shaking his head at the both of them while hoping desperately there's a chance of getting a transfer.

"Sasuke-kun wait up, great Naruto look what you made me do" Sakura blamed Naruto as she ran after the Uchiha. " Quit laughing"

Once Naruto was able to stand again without collapsing from fits of laughter he looked around to see everyone was gone except for the quiet girl who made up the last 1/4 of his new team.

Even though he was getting some good ideas on how to get back at Sasuke and even Sakura for the beating he got. He still wouldn't mind having some company for lunch instead of being alone as usual.

"So ummm Hinata right"?

Hinata was shaken out of her daze by the voice. She had so many thoughts going through her head like how she wanted to ask him to lunch, see if he was alright after Sakura's attack or even settle for just saying hi and talking about the new team arrangement. But when she heard him speak and even say her name all she could settle for was a simple.

"Eeep"

"So is that a yes" Naruto asked slightly confused.

"Mmhm" she replied weakly with a blush so red it could make an apple jealous.

"So uh since we're gonna be team mates umm wanna hang out for a bit maybe eat lunch"

To say Hinata was happy would be the understatement of the century but at the same time she was so nervous about eating lunch with the object of her very dreams it was unimaginable. Between these two emotions there was Hinata desperately trying not to black out again.

"I-I-I w-would like t-that N-Naruto-kun" she managed to squeeze out before she could stop herself.

"Great"!

Naruto, completely oblivious to the stutter, the swaying and blush of his new would-be friend, was completely ecstatic about having someone to eat lunch with which was usually a time more lonely than any for the young ninja. Normally he would sit off alone and eat while watching everyone else playing or talking while Sasuke was chased by fan girls one of which was Sakura the girl he had a crush on.

He grabbed Hinata's hand and again not noticing the blush of a tomato streak across her face at his mere touch pulled outside to his favorite eating spot which was away from everyone else.

So for the next hour the two just sat on the railing on the roof talking about whatever came to mind. Well Naruto talked and Hinata just sat there soaking in every word like she would never have a chance like this again.

"So yea that's why miso ramen is my favorite" Naruto had just finished a long winded explanation about ramen equally enjoying the company though not for the same reasons.

He then realized the whole time they had been together the shy girl had said little if nothing.

"So what kind of things are you into Hinata" Naruto asked genuinely interested.

Hinata was slightly taken aback "_He...he wants to know about me"_ she thought. Even the voice in her head was quiet with a slight stumble of words.

"Ano well I-I like t-to walk around t-the v-village on nice days and d-do my s-shopping"

This was honestly all she could think of she enjoyed doing. Anytime she spent out of the huge Hyuuga mansion full of disappointed looks was a blessing.

"Hmmm well that's cool but don't you do anything a little more exciting" asked Naruto as he wondered how someone could think such slow things any fun.

"Well I-I also like t-to garden and s-study medicine" she trailed off afraid she was boring.

"Neat you know I've never really talked to anyone like this before everyone always avoids me" Naruto said this last part uncharacteristically quiet making Hinata feel a little bad for him.

Hinata wanted to say something encouraging to the depressed looking boy when suddenly he snapped his head up.

"Oh shit we're gonna be late, lets go" he yelled jumping up bringing Hinata with him as he ran for the classroom.

"Did we make it"

CRACK!

"Jeezes Sakura what the hell are you doin'"

"Your late great impression for our new sensei"

"So where is he then"

"Well he actually...hasn't shown...up yet" Sakura trailed off

"So why the hell are you hittin' me in the face"

"Because you were late he's just a little later"

"Humph yea whatever" Naruto said as he went to sulk.

"Ano S-Sakura-chan I-I was l-late too so you s-shouldn't yell at just N-Naruto-kun" Hinata said finding a little courage to stand up for Naruto.

"Yeah but its his fault your late" she said with a little more kindness then she just showed Naruto before walking over to stare at Sasuke.

Hinata was never good at confronting people and as her little bit of bravery ran out she just looked at the floor while playing with her index fingers.

Sasuke just walked away from Sakura to stand on the other side of the room "_What did I ever do to deserve all of this" _Sasuke sighed to himself.

"Heheh" Naruto just had a great idea.

He stood up and grabbed a chalk board eraser and a chair and was standing over the door trying to level it.

"Naruto now what the hell do you think your doing" Sakura asked

"Well it's what this new sensei gets for being late"

"I-I don't think that's a very good I-id-"

"Ah don't worry Hinata I'm just havin a little fun with em" Naruto said flashing his trade mark grin.

"Besides all the other teams instructors have already shown up and left"

As Naruto jumped down Sakura was telling the room how she wasn't involved in any of this while Inner Sakura "I love this stuff"

"Pshh there's no way a Jounin would fall for something so simple"

Just as he said this in walked Hatake Kakashi new sensei of team 7 now with an eraser sitting on his head and covered in chalk dust.

"I'm so sorry sensei he wouldn't listen" Inner Sakura "That was great hahah"

"HAHAHAH nice you totally fell for it" Naruto rolled on the ground wiping away tears.

"Gomen" Hinata whispered with a blush and a small smile on her face.

"_This is a jounin? Doesn't seem very trustworthy" _Sasuke thought.

"Well I gotta say my first impression of you guys is...I hate you" Kakashi told the four with a smile.

All four looked downcast and Naruto and Sakura looked slightly pissed.

**OUTSIDE **

"I guess we can start with some introductions you first" he said pointing at Naruto

"Uhh what do you want to know" Naruto looked a little lost.

"You know likes, dislikes, dreams, hobbies that sort of thing"

"Well umm I'm Hatake Kakashi, you don't need to know my likes and dislikes. Dreams...well I've never really thought about it and I have plenty of hobbies" Kakashi replied.

"Great so now all we know is his name" Sakura said to the other three.

Sasuke and Naruto sat to her left while Hinata sat to her right, stealing looks at Naruto and blushing ever so often.

"Now you"

"Me! I'm Uzumaki Naruto and I like ramen and dislike Sasuke!" Naruto said glaring at Sasuke. Looking back at Kakashi "I like the ramen stand Ichikaru ramen even more and dislike the time you have to wait for the ramen to cook"

"_Jeeze does he think of anything besides ramen" _this was the thought going through everyone's head.

Except Hinata's she was thinking about Naruto but...well that's private.

"And my dream is to be Hokage and surpass all of them" he said pointing to the monument. "Then all of the village will acknowledge me.

"_Interesting"_

"Ok next"

"Uchiha Sasuke I dislike a lot but don't really like anything. I don't have a dream I have an ambition which is to resurrect my clan and...kill a man" Sasuke said without ever looking away or shifting position.

"_Wow"_

"_I hope he doesn't mean me"_

"_H-he doesn't mean Naruto-kun does he"_

"_Hmm that's about what I expected"_

"Right next" Kakashi said looking at Sakura

"Hi I'm Haruno Sakura, I like well umm..." looks at Sasuke "I don't have many hobbies but the thing I dislike is...Naruto" she said finally with some enthusiasm.

Naruto looked on the verge of tears as Sakura went back to staring at Sasuke.

"Ummm well then last girl then"

Hinata nearly jumped out of her skin, she hadn't looked forward to answering this.

As she fell into her old nervous habit of poking her fingers together and staring in front of her feet she started "Ano my name is Hyuuga Hinata my dream is to be a medical nin and work in the hospital. My hobbies are flowers. Dislike those who lie and hurt things without a reason and I like..."

At that she trailed off and no one called it on her. Everyone knew she like Naruto. Sasuke and Sakura knew from there time in class and it wasn't hard for Kakashi to figure it out with the constant staring and blushing. Although she was more discrete than Sakura.

Then of course there was Naruto who was so lost in his own world he didn't notice. Nor did he notice when she just stopped.

"_Great I get a shy girl who loves a loud mouth who likes another loud mouth with an anger problem who then likes the quiet one who hates all of them" _Kakashi was going to kill Kurenai and Asuma.

"_It seems girls this age are more interested in guys then the ninja arts" _sighing to himself Kakashi turned to his new team.

"Alright well we'll start training tomorrow so until then-"

"What do you mean training we're supposed to start missions and stuff" Naruto said getting agitated at his sensei's words.

"Well its survival training and I'm your opponent" Kakashi said off handedly"

"But sensei we got plenty of training in the academy" Sakura said a little curious.

"Heheh well it's a little different the what you've done so far heheh"

"Hey Hey what's so funny sensei"

"Well Naruto the thing is your not gonna like me much once I tell ya" Kakashi answered the blonde.

"Whys that" now Naruto was just plain confused.

"This is an exam of which only three genin teams may pass and become genin the rest will return to the academy"

"WHAT THE HELL" it goes without saying Sakura and Naruto were a little upset.

Hinata looked between upset and frightened. She was picturing failing the exam, bringing down her team and Naruto and then having to face her father after failing to become a genin.

Sasuke looked ready to snap at being told he may have to go back to the academy. He knew he could pass the test but was very unsure about the rest.

"Anyway be at training area 7 tomorrow, bring you shinobi tools oh and don't eat any breakfast you'll just throw up"

With that Kakashi left the four to think about the day ahead.

"_I ca...I won't fail I need Kakashi-sensei to recognize my strength so I just have to kick his ass that's all"_

"..."

"_If I fail I'll be separated from Sasuke. I cant fail this I have to pass"_

"_N-Naruto-kun. What if I let you all down. Then what will father say."_

That night Naruto spent his time training since he couldn't sleep anyway.

Sasuke just treated it like any other night and did his regular routine.

Sakura skipped dinner that night deciding to go on a diet.

And Hinata was as unable to sleep as Naruto so she just lied there staring at her ceiling her worry and nervousness only getting worse. Finally she managed to get to sleep.

So thats a pretty weak ending but all well at least its long.

So I know Hinata isn't in this much but she's still really nervous remember so I wanna work her up gradually as well as her and Naruto will remain just friends until the story gets more into my plot so be patient all you fluff fans hehe. But one thing is Naruto will relies slowly that Sakura is a lost cause so yea hope you liked it and please review even if it's a flame :)


	3. Chapter 3: Examination

_**A Team of Five**_

Just so ya know this is kinda my prologue.

**Disclaimer**: No own no sue...deal

**_Chapter Three_**:**_Examination_**

There sensei had told them to be there by 6 am and to skip breakfast. Well they had all turned up a bit early were all very very hungry. It was now 8 and they weren't any less hungry but Kakashi still hadn't shown up for this mysterious survival training.

"That lame bastard still isn't here what was the point of waking up so early" evidently Naruto had finally snapped.

"Naruto please shut up" Sakura shot while rubbing her temples to try to stay calm.

"Jeeze what did I do" Naruto grumbled going and sitting with the others under a large tree.

Everyone was a little on edge when finally Kakashi showed up.

"Good morning guys" he addressed them with a smile and a wave.

"YOUR LATE" Naruto and Sakura yelled together

Hinata let out a small laugh while Sasuke just shook his head. Though they both had to agree it was getting annoying waiting. Kakashi just continued like the hadn't said anything.

"Ok see this clock it's set to go off at noon so you have about four hours for this test" he set the small alarm clock down on one of three large stumps off to the side of the field and across from the small river.

"So you gonna tell us what this test is yet"

"I was getting to it Naruto you know patience is a virtue"

"So is chastity but-"

"That you can't help" Kakashi finished for him

Naruto was about to yell back but a solid punch to the back of the head from Sakura told him it wasn't a good idea to keep everyone waiting any longer.

"Anyway see these two bells" Kakashi held up two silver bells for all four to see "Your mission is to get them from me if you can't you don't get lunch and I'll tie you to a log and eat in front of you"

Suddenly realization kicked in why they weren't supposed to eat breakfast.

"_Oh shit" _they all thought at once.

"If you get a bell you pass if not better luck next time and since there are only two bells half of you are gonna fail for sure but then again all four of you could not get a bell" Kakashi explained casually.

"Now if there aren't any questions you may begin and my only advice is if your not prepared to kill me you will not succeed. Use whatever you want even shuriken and kunai"

"B-but Kakashi-sensei yo-you'll get hurt if we do that" Hinata stuttered.

"Yea I wouldn't be so confident sensei your pretty slow you'll just end up dead hahah" Naruto mocked

"Well I can just ignore the dead last" Naruto stopped laughing "usually the biggest loud mouth is the least threat" Kakashi bit back.

Suddenly Hinata could sense a large spike of killer intent coming from Naruto and before she could stop him he had reached for a kunai and was about to run at Kakashi. Suddenly he had his arm twisted back in a head lock with the kunai to his neck.

"It seems Naruto is prepared to kill me thats good maybe you guys aren't as bad as I thought" Kakashi took a step back "Now BEGIN"

With that Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata all ran to hide in the cover of the forest. Just as she reached the woods she turned sensing Naruto hadn't moved. So instead of hiding she waited to see if he would need help. Despite her embarrassment around Naruto and her instinct telling her to hide her legs wouldn't listen.

"_Hmmm seems like they can hide pretty goo- oh what the hell now"_ Kakashi groaned.

There stood Naruto directly in front of him and standing in the middle of the field. Then off near the tree line Hinata stood, though in a more defensive stance, watching Naruto and Kakashi.

"Hey fight me so I can get one of those bells" Naruto challenged

"_What a moron"_ Sasuke shook his head for the second time today

"_He can't really be serious can he" _thought Sakura dumbfounded

"Naruto" Hinata whispered

"Uhh Naruto are you a little unbalanced" Kakashi asked half joking half worried about his mental health. After all the kid does run around in an orange jump suit.

With that Naruto charged at his sensei "Fine if you won't fight then I will"

"Lesson one Naruto Taijutsu" said Kakashi not even looking at Naruto and reaching for his pouch.

Naruto stopped in his tracks _"Taijutsu. Hand to hand combat? Then why would he reach for a weapon?"_

With that Kakashi pulled out a book that read 'Come Come Paradise' on the front cover.

"Well what are you waitin for" Kakashi asked as he started reading the book.

"Ummm why the hell do you have a book" Naruto asked completely confused.

"Hmm oh well it's no big deal I just wanna see what happens next. It's not like against you it'll make a difference"

At this a vein pumped out of Naruto's forehead.

"Why you son of a... I'LL KILL YOU" Naruto roared and ran at Kakashi.

Naruto swung at Kakashi but as Kakashi blocked it Naruto swept for his legs but he simply side stepped. Naruto saw an opening and aimed a fist to Kakashi's side. This was what Kakashi had waited for and as Naruto hit air Kakashi appeared behind him with his hands in what appeared to be in the sign of the tiger.

"Never turn you back to an opponent"

"_T-that...that's the tiger seal. I-is he gonna hit Naruto"_ but before Hinata could do anything...

"_There's no way. He's gonna use that jutsu on Naruto?" _Sakura panicked "Naruto get the hell outta there he's gonna kill you"!

"_A fire jutsu. He's not just gonna move around" _

"Huh" Naruto half turned.

"Too slow"

Kakashi threw all of his weight and jabbed Naruto in the ass.

"Hidden Leaf Ancient Taijutsu Supreme Technique, 1,000 YEARS OF PAIN"

Sakura sweat dropped _"What the f... That was just a super poke in the ass"_

"_They're both total idiots" _Sasuke sighed.

Hinata on the other hand was worried as she watched Naruto take the technique and rocket thirty feet in the air and splash straight into the river.

"_Shit that's not was supposed to happen"_ Naruto was sinking to the bottom of the river while reaching for his shuriken.

Suddenly the three remaining genin watched as three shuriken came streaking out of the water heading for Kakashi. But just as the reached him their sensei stuck out a hand and without looking away from his book grabbed one on each finger.

Watching their sensei laughing while reading his book, all three genin realized at once that he was simply playing around with Naruto.

Sakura just couldn't believe how easy it was for Kakashi. But Hinata felt something she didn't recognize. She just couldn't stand watching someone making a mockery of Naruto. Turning all of his determination and hard work into a joke.

Without even realizing it Hinata had started running at Kakashi charging her gentle fist style and preparing to attack the tenketsu (sp?). With the Byakugan flaring she charged in her eyes no longer gentle and she seemed to others as uncharacteristically determined..

Sensing the charge Kakashi looked up from his book and smiled a little at the sudden burst of energy and bravery from the usually shy and quiet girl.

As Hinata was poised to strike at the jounin's shoulder and heart he side stepped the young Hyuuga causing her to stumble forward in mid attack. Kakashi then sharply spun on his left heel kicking at Hinata square in the back with his right foot.

While Hinata had been rushing at Kakashi, Naruto was busy creating several shadow clones and sending one up the river and left the rest on the river bottom. When he reached shore he saw Hinata reach Kakashi.

"_Hehe perfect"_

He sent the clone up the river the signal to attack at Kakashi's back as he head up an attack of the others.

Kakashi saw the small army of Narutos coming for him and quickly dealt with Hinata instead of playing with her like he had Naruto.

Seeing Hinata take the kick to the back Naruto put on more speed.

Sasuke was still waiting in his tree for an opening from their sensei, as Sakura was under a bush still trying to find Sasuke. They were both rather surprised to see Hinata out of no where run at Kakashi but were even more surprised at the plan Naruto unfolded in front of them.

"_1,2,10 how many are there. What the hell is that" _Sasuke thought stunned.

"_They...They're real not illusions. Real?"_ Sakura was as equally as shocked as Sasuke.

Just as he had taken care of Hinata, he turned on Naruto. Kakashi was ready for the ten or so clones in front of him but was taken completely be surprise by the one that had snuck up on him while being distracted by Hinata.

"A ninja once told me not too let an opponent get behind them, sensei" the clone smirked.

The copy ninja suddenly found himself in a full nelson with a little under a dozen Naruto coming down on him.

"I hope your ready for this Kakashi-sensei because here I come. You know my ass is still killin me" the real Naruto called out.

With that the original Naruto leapt into the air and with the full force of gravity came down and dealt a solid blow into Kakashi's gut. The force of the impact sent Kakashi out of the clones grasp and before he could be hit again he used a replacement jutsu to switch himself with a clone.

"_Hmm good plan...dobe"_ Sasuke thought with a smirk

"_Whoa when did Naruto get cool"_ Sakura couldn't help but think from her vantage point.

Hinata had gotten up and seeing Naruto had a grasp of the situation had hidden up in a tree opposite from where Sasuke and Sakura were. She was more surprised than anyone by her sudden outburst. While she did want to get to safety she also wanted to get out of Naruto's line of sight.

Kakashi was now situated a good way away nursing his ego and berating himself mentally for falling for such a stupid trap. Although he was a little proud of the loud mouth for using the opportunity like that.

When his sensei had replaced his body with a clones Naruto was in the middle of another punch to, this time to the face, but found himself standing over a semi-conscious version of himself.

"You...Your Kakashi-sensei. You used Henge to transform didn't you" the Naruto who had hit the clone yelled.

With that all the copies started attacking one another accusing on another of being the fake. Until one of them yelled to the original.

"Just undo the jutsu then there'll be only two left" "Ya just undo it"

Naruto then dismissed all of the other Narutos in a poof of smoke and found himself alone in the field with a small tear going down his cheek and hanging his head in defeat.

"_Dumbass"_ Sakura thought

"_It was Kawarimi not Henge you idiot"_ Sasuke scolded his teammate.

Even Hinata hung her head in shame _"N-Naruto-kun..."_

Suddenly Naruto noticed a small bell over by a nearby tree. Excited he ran to it.

"Hehehe Kakashi-sensei must have dropped it in a hurry heheh" Naruto said his a huge grin which quickly faded

He found himself hanging upside down from a rope with Kakashi standing below him looking up. Kakashi slowly bent over, picked up the bell then faced Naruto again.

sigh"Three things. When using a jutsu don't let it get used against you. Two never fall for such an obvious trap. And lastly remember that a ninja should always look underneath the underneath"

"Hey I may be stuck up a tree but at least I didn't take a shot to the stomach" Naruto shot back with a huff

"Yes but you hit like a girl" replied Kakashi

Before Naruto could yell back suddenly a barrage of shuriken and kunai rained down on Kakashi from Sasuke.

"_There it is. An opening" _

"S-Sasuke YOU WENT TOO FAR" Naruto yelled

Both Sakura and Hinata were shocked but everyone got a surprise when in a poof of smoke and a pop Kakashi turned into a log looking much like a pin cushion.

"_Shit he knows where I am from the shuriken now"_ Sasuke thought as he went tearing through the bush trying to avoid an attack

"He showed that opening on purpose and I fell for it" Sasuke yelled at himself.

"_Where is Sasuke-kun he should be on the move no-"_ Sakura stopped as she saw her sensei in a small open space reading his book. _"Good he hasn't seen me yet"_

"Sakura. Behind you"

As she turned around she suddenly saw Kakashi crouched behind her.

Meanwhile back in the clearing Naruto was still fuming over being caught by Kakashi twice in a row.

Hinata had worked up enough courage to come out from her cover over to see if Naruto was ok. When she saw Naruto flipping around in the air cursing under his breath she left out a small giggle, which she stifled when he looked down at her.

"Hey ummm Hinata do you think you could help me down" Naruto asked with a grin and a nervous chuckle.

"Eep" Hinata let out a nervous squeal at being addressed by Naruto "U-Uh s-sure Naruto-k-kun"

As she walked over to help him out of the tree she suddenly felt herself being pulled up by the second trap meant for when Naruto got down.

"Fancy meeting you here" Naruto said flashing a foxy smile and scratching the back of his neck.

Hinata just blushed and tapped her fingers.

After Kakashi had gotten behind Sakura he used a genjutsu. As she fell into his illusion he disappeared to her sight in a swirl of leaves. When the leaves finally settled she was alone in the clearing.

"S-Sakura" came the weak voice of someone behind a tree

"It's Sasuke-kun" Sakura said with glee

That is until she saw what crawled out from behind the tree. It was Sasuke except he had a bloody stump where his arm should be. His left leg was turned the wrong way and he had dozens of throwing objects sticking out all over his body.

"Sakura. Help...me"

That was the last straw. Sakura began crying and screamed so all the world could hear before passing out and foaming at the mouth

"Hmm I wonder if I went a little over board. All well"

"Sakura" Sasuke thought out loud when he heard the scream

"Lesson two genjutsu. It seems Sakura falls for it pretty easy" Kakashi had left his perch up in a tree and was now facing Sasuke. Still reading 'Come Come Paradise'.

"I'm nothing like the others" said Sasuke with all the confidence of someone who knew the could win.

"Why don't you say that _after _you get a bell Sasuke-_chan_" mocked Kakashi.

"Well umm how we gonna get down from here" Naruto asked Hinata but when he looked over all he saw was a cut piece of rope.

Looking down he saw her standing where Kakashi had been holding a kunai. When he looked in the eye she quickly looked at her feet and blushed.

Slightly confused but shaking it off Naruto grabbed a kunai and cut his rope. When he hit the ground, actually gracefully, he turned to Hinata

"Hey I saw this weird stone behind the stumps. Lunch was sittin on top of em so I was thinkin we could "look underneath the underneath" and skip the exam all together" informed Naruto.

Again jumping at being addressed by Naruto, Hinata forced her gaze up from the group, complete with blush and twitching fingers, she said "I-I d-don't know I-if that would b-be such a good idea N-Naruto-kun" she finally got out.

"Hmm" Naruto pondered "aww common it's no big deal I bet sensei would be proud"

Flashing her another smile that caused Hinata to blush he grabbed her by the head and started leading her away.

BAM

Hinata hit the ground out cold.

"H-Hinata are you ok?" Naruto asked worried

He knelt down to check if she was ok. Upon a closer look he decided she would be fine_ "Meh musta been heat stroke or somethin, she looks fine. Kinda cute too...Wait what!"_ shaking it off he picked her up and put her on his back then started off to the spot he saw their lunch.

Back with Kakashi, Sasuke had launched into a full on attack. He began with several shuriken aimed not at Kakashi but behind him. When Kakashi dodged them thinking it nothing more than a normal attack had simply jumped to the side.

"Humph such an obvious attack. I expected more from Konoha's #1 Uchiha"

At that moment the star had hit its mark and cut a rope tying back the trap Sasuke had set.

"_Shit a trap"_ Kakashi thought as he saw the knives coming at him.

He easily jumped over them, the blades embedding in a tree, only to be attacked from behind by Sasuke.

As Kakashi blocked, the attack of Sasuke's left foot with his left forearm, the Uchiha swung around in Kakashi's grasp and swung down with his right fist. The final attack came from above as Sasuke brought his whole body upside down and came down with his right foot. In order to block this Kakashi had too cross his arms up, leaving his bottom open and occupying his arms. This was the moment Sasuke had waited for because with this, the bells were unguarded.

Kakashi had just realized his mistake and, as the young genin reached for a bell and actually touched one, Kakashi pushed away sending Sasuke away and himself backward.

Sakura had finally come around and was sitting up as the memory of why she had blacked out came crashing back. The image of Sasuke on the very verge of death was all she could see in her mind's eye.

"Sasuke please don't die and leave me alone with the others. Come back, where are you" Sakura ran off searching for Sasuke and yelling for him as the fight between Sasuke and their sensei continued.

"_What the hell is with him. I couldn't even read" _Kakashi thought mildly impressed. "Well your definitely different from the others but still kinda sad" he added to Sasuke offhandedly.

"What" Kakashi was stunned._ "It shouldn't be possible for him to do that"_

Sasuke had just gone through several hand seals and yelled "Goukakyuu no jutsu" releasing a huge fireball.

When the explosion cleared Sasuke discovered that Kakashi had vanished from the crater left by the jutsu.

"The hell? Where-" as Sasuke scanned everywhere around him and above he heard from under him.

"Below"

With that Kakashi grabbed his ankles and pulled him under ground up to his head "Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu"

"Final lesson. Number three ninjutsu. Well next time keep a heads up"

Even in his position Sasuke managed to sweat drop "Damn you"

Back at the stone Naruto had seen from his "look out" in the tree Naruto had set Hinata down and when she didn't wake up for a while he decided to start but felt it would be rude not to wait. So he waited until she started to turn over.

"Mm Naruto-kun" she whispered with a smile.

"Hey Hinata"

She shot up into a sitting position staring right into Naruto's face. What he failed to realize is she had been asleep when she said his name and it was his voice which finally woke her.

"N-N-Naruto-k-kun I-it's y-you"

To say she was embarrassed would be an understatement. While asleep, Hinata had been dreaming about Naruto in her room. Then to wake up to him and it all too obvious he had heard her say his name was almost too much.

Seeing the girl almost ready to pass back out, and still clueless as to why or that he had woken her from a dream, tried to keep her together.

"Hey stay awake for me eh. Umm I found lunch heheh"

His attempts seemed to work as she slowly calmed down, though not completely losing her stutter. They both sat with their backs to the stone and Hinata began her old habit of poking her fingers at being so close and almost touching Naruto again.

"Ano N-Naruto-kun sh-shouldn't we wait for the o-others" Hinata asked slightly apprehensive about cheating their teammates. While at the same time wanting to share another meal with Naruto.

"Nah why waste time with an exam we can't pass. We can just eat right now"

"Yo" came Kakashi's voice from behind them.

The two were frozen and Hinata was startled having someone sneak up on her.

"I-It was a gag" Naruto tried to lie.

"What are you two doing. Naruto"

"Ahh getting your food all ready he he he" Naruto nervously chuckled and sweated.

By the time Sakura had found, what she believed to be Sasuke's severed head, she instantly passed out again. When she came around Sasuke was kneeling beside her. Once he came into focus she leapt on him grateful he wasn't dead.

"What the hell. Get off me"

As Sasuke got back up he dusted himself off trying to retain some of his dignity.

"Times almost up I'm goin for the bell"

Before he could turn to go Sakura stopped him and tried to reason with him.

"Why are you still going after the bell Sasuke-kun"

"I managed to touch one this time I'll get it"

"We don't need to push too hard ya know we could always wait for next time"

Upon hearing these words Sasuke rounded on Sakura shooting a glare that left her both frightened and defeated. Thats when the ring of the alarm could be heard.

"Shit I wasted too much time"

Several minutes later. Team seven could be found looking defeated. Naruto was tied to a stump for trying to cheat. Hinata had been pardoned as Kakashi had witnessed her trying to reason with Naruto, as well as Naruto's own testimony she didn't want come in the first place but he couldn't leave her out cold on the ground.

"Hmm you guys are lookin pretty hungry" Kakashi stated lazily "all well, anyway about the training, don't worry about headin back to the academy"

The response to this was pure glee from the four students. Naruto was ecstatic, tugging at his bonds. Sakura was slightly confused on how she passed when she did little else other than pass out. Hinata even stopped staring at Naruto out of the corner of her eye to blush deeply with a look of appreciation toward her sensei. Even Sasuke managed a smirk and didn't even follow it up with a jibe at his team.

"So all of us-" Naruto and Sasuke cheered together.

"Yep you should all quit" Kakashi finished with no emotion.

Hinata's face fell and looked on the verge of tears and Sakura was stunned. Naruto was wide eyed and looked like he wanted to yell. Sasuke's face just hardened and his eyes held nothing but anger.

So I suck at endings meh whatcha gonna do...

Anyway review it and maybe throw me some ideas and I'll consider em.


	4. Chapter 4: Teamwork

_**A Team of Five**_

I'm likin all this positive feedback its encouraging. So does it seem like anything is goin too fast or too slow?

**Disclaimer: **I'm sure we can all agree it's obvious I don't own Naruto.

_**Chapter Four: Teamwork**_

"So all of us-"

"Yep, you should all quit"

Kakashi's words rang through the minds of all four genin stunned into silence. The last word hung on the air filling an uncomfortable silence. That is until Naruto found his voice again.

"Wh-what the hell are you talking about "quit"? that's bullshit, sure we couldn't get the bells but why should we just give up" Naruto was filled with a mixture of confusion and being plain pissed off.

"Because" for once Kakashi showed emotion to the group. His look became hard and harsh "your all a group of punk kids who think they can be shinobi"

"Sasuke-kun"

"Wha-"

"The hell?"

"_Bastard. Who does he think he-"_

Before Sasuke could finish his thought, let alone his attack, he found himself face down in the dirt with Kakashi sitting on his back. Kakashi had his foot pushing his head farther into the ground and was bending Sasuke's arm back painfully immobilizing the prodigy.

"_I-I could just barely follow K-Kakashi-sensei's movements" _Hinata thought shocked anyone could move that fast and she could tell he was capable of much more.

"_He did that to Sasuke-teme so easily" _Naruto was just as stunned as Hinata that to someone he saw as his rival could be beaten like that. Though he wouldn't every say that to anyone.

Now while the other two were surprised Sakura was...well.

"NO! You son of a...don't step on my Sasuke-kun" Sakura was a little upset anyone would push Sasuke into the dirt like that.

Kakashi's next words cut off whatever Sakura had left to say. The intensity that he showed as he continued to speak frightened all present into silence.

"Are you taking the life of a shinobi as a game? Huh? Why do you think you were put into teams? What do you think we are all doing here training?"

"What do you mean sensei" Sakura asked.

"To put it simply...your completely missing the meaning of the test" Kakashi replied plainly.

Naruto was just simply confused. Hinata was rather nervous about her sensei's intensity and the passion he seemed to feel about the hidden meaning of the test.

"The answer?"

"Yes. If you had figured it out passing would have been much easier"

"A-Ano sensei w-what was the answer"

"So are you gonna tell us or what" Sakura was becoming impatient.

"Geez...you guys are sad"

Naruto had had enough. "Dammit you gonna tell us or just keep us geussin"

"The key to the test...is teamwork"

This struck everyone at once as they realized why they had failed. Even Naruto now knew how he had gone wrong and felt stupid at not grasping it sooner.

"Together the four of you could have gotten the bells. Sasuke alone touched one and Naruto with a simple distraction managed to get a solid hit" Kakashi was still slightly bitter about the last part.

"_Wait...two bells" _it struck Sakura all at once, what had been bothering her. "Teamwork? But with only two bells half of us would fail right away. How were we supposed to work all together when your pitting us against one another from the start"

"Exactly! The whole point of the test is too make you fight each other"

"Huh" Naruto was back to being totally lost.

"The ability to put personal interest aside and work together is what is tested here. But you each went off on your own with your own goals in mind" Kakashi turned to Sakura "Instead of Naruto who was right in front of you, you concentrated on finding Sasuke" Sakura knew what her sensei said was true and it hurt.

Next Kakashi turned on Naruto "Naruto you didn't even try to regroup you simply went off on your own and when Hinata tried to help you used her as a distraction" Naruto was stung by Kakashi's comment.

"Hinata" she jumped at being addressed directly "you could have been a bigger help and done some teamwork if only you hadn't been afraid of letting your team down"

Even though this was nothing new for Hinata, being reprimanded for a lack of activity or confidence, she still looked downcast and stared down at her feet.

"Finally, Sasuke, you just went ahead and assumed you could do better alone and did everything yourself thinking the others would only get in your way" Even if Sasuke had wanted to look depressed like the others he couldn't due to Kakashi's foot firmly planted on his head.

Kakashi softened again reverting back to his calm laid-back demeanor "While, of course, individual skill is important to the ninja, duties in a squad are done as a team with cooperation and that is far more important" the jounin continued as he reached in his hip pouch "When an individual goes off alone it can hurt the team as a whole and put others in danger or killed. For instance"

Kakashi leaned down pressing the blade of a kunai to Sasuke's neck and turning to Sakura "Now Sakura kill Naruto or I kill Sasuke"

Sakura looked absolutely horror struck at the proposal, while Naruto was worried she might actually do it. Hinata looked in between terrified and ready to defend Naruto. Though this went unnoticed by everyone, especially Naruto. Thankfully for everyone involved this was simply a further demonstration of the weaknesses Kakashi pointed out earlier.

"See. In combat when hostage are taken hard decision will need to be made and people, close people, will die." Kakashi stood up from atop Sasuke as the young genin attempt to regain some dignity by dusting his face off.

Walking over to the stone Naruto had seen from the top of the tree Kakashi continued with his speech "These dozens of names carved on this memorial are all ninja recognized as the greatest heros of the village"

Naruto had perked back up on hearing this and made a decision "Hey Hey. I'm gonna get my name on that stone. Hero! That's what I'll be"

Sasuke just rolled his eyes as he walked back to sit next to Naruto tied to the stump. Sakura had a look of loathing at Naruto's outburst. Hinata too perked up on hearing the focus of her admiration speak like that and demonstrate what she liked about him most.

"Those here aren't heros the way you might be thinking..."

"Yeah? So what kinda heros are they then. Huh?"

"Everyone named here died on duty. They gave their lives on missions for the village"

The grin on Naruto's face was slowly replaced with a look of humility and sadness. Both Hinata and Sakura looked rather saddened by this as well. Even Sasuke didn't go unfazed as he respectfully lowered his gaze.

"This is in memory of all those who fought and died serving and defending Konoha. The name of my best friend is here on this stone" Kakashi turned away from the name he had been staring at to look at his students.

"You get one more chance. But once we start again it'll be much harder to get the bells. If any of you wanna give up you can leave or stay and eat but Naruto doesn't get any. It can be your punishment for trying to eat without a bell. Anyone caught giving him food fails immediately"

The face of the solemn ninja harshened again "Here, I'm the rule. Understand" With that said he disappeared again from their sight.

Without a further word the Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata sat down and opened the lunches. Sakura and Sasuke started eating but Hinata debated with not wanting to fail but also wanting to share her food with the obviously hungry Naruto.

"Psshhh I don't need food It's no problem he won't break me" Naruto declared proudly

GRRRRRRR!

Unfortunately the resounding hungry pains coming from Naruto's stomach strongly disagreed with his statement.

Naruto just hung his head in defeat. Hinata had almost made the resolve to give her food to Naruto when, to everyone present's surprise, Sasuke handed his food to Naruto.

"Here...dobe"

"S-Sasuke-kun what the hell are you doing. You heard Kakashi-sensei your gonna be failed if..."

"Forget it I don't sense him anywhere around. Once lunch is done we can all work as a team and get the bells. But if he doesn't eat he'll only hinder us"

Without a second thought Hinata presented Naruto with her portion of lunch as well, with a smile and a touch of crimson on her face. After a moment Sakura did the same.

"_Sakura-chan...Hinata..."_

"Hehehe thanks guys" Naruto was actually more happy they were willing to risk failing than the fact he wasn't gonna starve.

A huge explosion of dust and leaves went off twenty feet from their feet and an angry looking Kakashi could be seen barreling down on the four.

"YOU GUYS!..." Kakashi yelled out as he ran at the genin.

Sasuke had been completely taken off guard and this frightened him. He wasn't really used to being unprepared. Naruto was even more scared as he was tied to a log and his sensei looked ready to kill them. Hinata and Sakura were blown back about a foot and Sakura was blocking her face from the dust as Hinata was left sprawled on the ground.

"Pass" he finished with a smile visible from under his mask.

Sasuke was still half way into a fighting stance and didn't quite believe what he was being told. Hinata was in a similar situation though she had gotten into her stance more out of instinct as her body moved on its own. Naruto just stood there blinking looking, as usual, like a lost sheep.

Sakura spoke up for the group "Wait...what?"

"You pass. Actually you're the first. All my other potential were just too obedient and would simply do whatever I said. Humph morons" Kakashi said offhandedly thinking back to all his previous teams.

"In the world of shinobi those who disobey the rules and don't follow orders are called trash. But ya know what anyone who would abandon their comrades and friends...are worse than trash"

"_Heh he's so cool"_ Naruto couldn't help admiring his new instructor and team leader.

Sasuke slumped back into a sitting position smirking. Sakura was ecstatic, laughing and bouncing up and down. Hinata had a wide grin as she picked herself up and couldn't look much happier.

Kakashi flashed them all a thumbs up "Alright training over everyone passes. We're officially team 7 the five man team. Starting tomorrow we begin our duties"

"YATTA! I did it. Woot" Naruto yelled still tied to the stump.

"Alright lets go guys" Kakashi said walking off.

"Hells yes" Sakura cheered behind Sasuke and following the two away.

"H-Hey! Someone untie me. Dammit I knew this was gonna happen" Naruto yelled after the retreating forms of his new team.

Suddenly the ropes hit the ground and he realized someone had cut him loose. Looking over Naruto saw Hinata standing there still smiling. When she cut his eye she blushed a deep red and looked at the ground in front of her feet, poking her fingers together nervously.

"Thanks Hinata. I gotta learn how to do knots one day" he flashed the girl a wide smile.

GRR!

Blushing a bit himself at his stomach Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand, causing the blush on her face to grow darker he began pulling her off to his favorite lunch spot in the village.

"Common Hinata I still haven't gotten to eat yet. I wanna grab some ramen lets go"

Hinata didn't have time to protest and it's not like she wanted to in the least. One of her biggest dreams was that Naruto would want her to eat lunch at Ichiraku. To some this would seem a very small thing but to Naruto it was exciting too since he only ever really ate with Iruka-sensei.

So with the prospect of being an official ninja, having some company for lunch and an actual friend Naruto enthusiastically half ran to the small ramen stand. Hinata in tow on cloud nine at being invited to lunch _again _with Naruto. It was a lot of dreams coming true for the two.

Hmmm I well it's kinda short but im a lazy guy and I had to work out a bunch of things for when I turn away from the original plot. This is more or less just to get everyone's relationships and friendships where I need them. As well as working on my writing skills.

Anyway review and maybe I can get two or three chapters out before next Monday. Long ones too.


	5. Chapter 5: The Bridge Builder

_**A Team of Five**_

Wow I got an overwhelming response with that last chapter. Jeeze if I knew I just needed a bribe for reviews I woulda done it sooner. Sorry but the odds of me getting out a sixth chapter before Monday like I had hoped are slim.

**Disclaimer: **yeah know what I don't own Naruto and since everyone _should _know that this is the last time ill say it. So this goes for the rest of my story. I in no way, shape or form own anything involved with Naruto that honor belongs to no one but Masashi Kishimoto.

_**Chapter Five: The Bridge Builder**_

"So uh how long has it been"

"We go through this everyday. We just need to be patient" Sakura said closing her eyes and rubbing the side of her head all in an attempt to stay calm.

"Yea but still how long have we been waiting for" Naruto questioned

"For the last time Naruto I DON'T KNOW"

"Well you should" the blonde grumbled

"THAT'S IT" the kunoichi yelled

The next thing Naruto could process was a blinding pain coming from the large bump situated on his head, Sakura standing triumphantly above him and Hinata crouched beside him, staring at the lump like it was causing her pain just to look at it.

Team 7 had begun their duties, just as Kakashi had promised them, the day after their training finished. Unfortunately he neglected to mention what genin level missions involved.

So for the past week the five man team had spent its days shopping, babysitting and many _many _hours of various farming tasks. All of these had been accepted, with much protest from Naruto and silent disappointment from the others, and tension was getting high.

Now all four sat on the bridge, that had become the meeting place of team 7, awaiting there never punctual sensei to arrive and deliver their new mission. Sakura was pacing up and down while Sasuke was leaning with his arms crossed on the railing. Opposite Sasuke was a twitching Naruto sitting beside a blushing Hinata on the rail. Of course when he sat down the red that tinted Hinata's face went completely unnoticed by Naruto.

Over the past few days the team had grow a small bit closer. Granted some wouldn't admit and others didn't even notice. Both of these being of course Naruto. He saw Hinata as his very first and possibly best friend, but having so few friends as he did that wasn't saying much. Even Sakura warmed up to him though absolutely nothing more than a friend.

Sasuke could handle Naruto's antics but still viewed him as a weakling and a dropout. Hinata wasn't too bad in his eyes as, unlike the other girls from the academy, she left him alone. Sakura was as annoying as ever but now, without any competition for his attention, she was less clingy but more persistent for a date.

Sakura and Hinata both liked each other and as neither was interested in the others crush had a mutual understanding. They had even hung around and talked outside of team duties.

Suddenly something had drawn the attention of everyone present.

"Yo, so what are you guys just sitting here for" Kakashi greeted his team with a smile.

"YOUR LATE!" screamed Naruto and Sakura

"Well see the thing with that is..." and with that Kakashi began his long ass explanation to excuse his tardiness.

The team had already figured out long ago that their sensei, was full of shit. Sasuke simply sighed trying to tune everything out. Sakura just fell into silence allowing inner Sakura to run ramped in her head. Hinata was trying not to giggle at Naruto who had started yelling at Kakashi for being so lame.

Finally Naruto fell silent as Kakashi gave up on his story and proceeded to explain their next mission. Kakashi walked around handing each member of his team a headset.

"OK lets go" with that Kakashi began walking off.

"H-Hey well what the hell are we supposed to do with these" Naruto yelled after his sensei.

"Huh" the older ninja stopped and turned around "Well we'll be needing these so you can stay in communication with me while you look for Tora"

"Who" Sakura asked

"Tora, the cat we're looking for" the jounin answered plainly.

The whole group sweat dropped.

"That's our exciting mission for the day" Naruto stated more than questioned.

"Mmhm" Kakashi clarified before sitting down and pulling out his ever present book. Looking up from the book he added "Well are you just gonna stand around or what"

"Y-You bastard" Naruto started walking towards his instructor before being held back by Sakura.

"So before we start off on this idiotic mission" Sasuke began, just as unsatisfied by this "mission" as Naruto, "where was the last time the cat was seen"

"Hmm oh the target should be heading through the forest in the direction of the main road. That's apparently the way it always goes when it runs away"

Before anyone could question about the "always" Kakashi lifted his gaze from the book to look at his team.

"Well? Dismissed" he waved the four genin off.

With that team 7 disappeared in a flash of movement headed for the main gate of Konoha in pursuit of their target. As they traveled through the trees Naruto was ahead with Sasuke and Sakura behind and Hinata bringing up the rear. Every few minutes Sakura caught glances of Hinata stealing looks at Naruto out of the corner of her eye. Seeing this the pink-haired girl smiled to her friend and nodded in Naruto direction, causing Hinata to blush slightly.

Several minutes later the team could be found walking through the woods behind Hinata who was scanning the area with the aid of her Byakugan.

When Sakura had suggested the use of the Hyuuga bloodline, Hinata was apprehensive but was soon persuaded it would make the search much faster. The shy girl had been blushing since activating her special ability due to all the attention it drew from Naruto. The hyperactive blond was absolutely enthraled and was asking several questions before was cut short by Hinata coming to a complete stop.

"What is it Hinata" Naruto asked.

"Ano I t-think I s-see the t-target a-ahead" she stuttered in response

Nearly everyone jumped out of their skin as Kakashi's voice came over the two way radio system.

"Are you sure it's the target. Ribbon on left ear..." came the voice of the jounin who everyone had completely forgotten about.

"I t-think s-so Kakashi-s-sensei. Demo I c-could be wr-wrong..." Hinata trailed off.

Hinata hadn't been doing well on the previous missions and though her team always completed them successfully she always felt she held the others back. This was the first time her personal skills were really required and was really nervous about messing up again, in front of Naruto especially.

"If Hinata says it Taro or Tora or whatever then it is. Lets just get this boring assignment over with" Naruto sighed getting into position.

Hinata blushed even deeper and was a little surprised that Naruto had stuck up for her. Granted they had become friends since the making of their team but she was still very self-conscious about it.

Once everyone was situated properly around the target they waited for the signal. When his team had called in he gave them the signal and all four rushed in so the target couldn't escape.

Naruto made it to the cat and grabbing it by the stomach he pinned it to the ground. Sasuke reported in confirming it was the target while Naruto struggled with Tora. Sakura was holding her sides as she laughed at Naruto's attempts to with strain said cat and Hinata was giggling along side her finding the whole scene comical.

"Good" crackled Kakashi's voice over the headsets "Lost pet retrieval mission complete. I'll meet you back at the Hokage's office to drop of the target and get our next mission"

As the team started back to Konoha, Naruto handed Tora to Hinata and walked over to Sakura. Hinata knew what was coming as did everyone else. She hung her head and sighed. Over the past few days she had gotten used to it but it still hurt, she had made progress becoming Naruto's friend but it still wasn't what she was hoping for.

"Hey Sakura-chan wanna go out on a date after this next mission?" the blond asked sliding up beside Sakura and grinning widely.

The girl sighed heavily and turned to Naruto "For the hundredth time Naruto, NO. Jeeze just bugger off would ya. You should move on to someone else already" she was trying to subtly turn him onto another girl, but of course he missed it, while letting him down.

After being shut down Naruto did something that surprised the other three. He let it go. Normally he would whine or plead but this time, he just shrugged it off and went to pet Tora, who of course attacked him.

When they had reached the office of the Hokage team 7 could be found, again with their sensei, receiving the pay for their mission and handing over the lost pet Tora to its rightful owner. Hinata was sorry to give her up but Naruto was more than happy to rid himself of the pest.

"I missed you soooo much Tora-chan" screamed the cat's owner as she held the said cat in a death hug.

"_Mwhahah that's what you get. Stupid cat heheh"_ Naruto laughed to himself.

"_God no wonder it keeps bolting" _Sakura and Sasuke thought, simultaneously sweat dropping.

"Hmm Team 7 your next mission will be..." mused the Hokage "babysitting, shopping..."

"Nope. No, no, no a thousand times no thanks" yelled Naruto "When I became a ninja I wasn't told about farming and odd jobs. I want a you know, more exciting mission maybe even leaving the freakin' village"

"_Annoying bastard" _Sakura groaned to herself

"_He has a point" _Sasuke silently agreed with his teammate

"_N-Naruto-kun" _blushed Hinata

"_I'm so gonna get yelled at for this later. Fuck why didn't I see this coming a mile away" _Kakashi sighed and smacked Naruto in the back of the head. "Quiet you"

Iruka had been sitting their with his eye twitching before he snapped "Naruto you idiot every genin gets the simple duties and works up. Your nothing but a rookie, and no one else has complained" snapped the chuunin sensei standing up from his seat beside the Hokage.

"Sure but we are a special team aren't we? You could at least give us the more challenging D missions or a low C rank" Sasuke calmly negotiated staring directly at the old Kage.

The aging ninja sighed still not convinced "It seems I must again explain to you all how our village works" he then began in a long explanation of the system for grading missions and assigning them to the appropriate ninja.

When he was finally finished he looked up expected, or more hoping, too see that he had made his point clear. Instead he saw Naruto with his back turned speaking to his team, who had their attention on Naruto, explaining the finer points of ramen.

Iruka started his nervous twitching again and the Hokage had a sweat drop running down the back of his head.

"Hey listen you little..." yelled Sarutobi with a vein popping out of his forehead.

"G-Gomen Hokage-sama" Hinata muttered bowing, embarrassed she had forgotten her place.

"Sorry about him" Kakashi apologized nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Common old man all you do is lecture like that. I'm not the same little kid who ran around makin' trouble for everyone. I'm a konoha ninja" the blonde boy stated with pride.

Naruto turned his back pouting. Hinata giggled slightly despite herself, he was just really cute when he did that.

"_Haha he's grown up" _the Hokage smiled "Well okay then. If it's so important I supposed it would be best not too waste your talents"

Kakashi was completely stunned and Sakura had a shocked look on her face. Sasuke remained impassive but was happy none the less. Hinata remained silent but smiled to herself, while Naruto on the other hand, took a different approach.

"Hells yes!" Naruto leapt hands up into the air.

"You can have a C ranked protection mission to the Wave Country"

"So who are we protecting huh" Naruto was literally bouncing with excitement "like a lord or princess or what?"

"I'll let you see for your self" the Hokage replied "Come in now please" he called to someone obviously waiting in the hall.

The door slid open and a man walked in with a white beard and hair wearing cheap clothing and drinking what appeared to be wine.

"Hmph. The hell is this? They're all a bunch of punks" the new comer asked "Especially that small one with the stupid look on his face"

"Hah who's the stupid, small one..." Naruto asked looking right and left at his companions. "Wait...YOU SON OF A BITCH. I'LL KILL YOU"

"Idiot why would you kill the guy you're gettin paid to defend" Kakashi groaned, grabbing hold of Naruto's collar.

"My name is Tazuna the bridge building master. I require an escort back to Wave Country"

**Outside Konoha Village: Main Gate**

Hinata could be found half an hour after the meeting of team 7's charge, Tazuna, waiting for her team. She had made it back first when everyone had split up to get supplies for the trip. The dark girl waited patiently for her team expecting Sakura and Sasuke to show up first but to her surprise and delight it was an excited Naruto to arrive first. Well second.

"H-Hello N-Naruot-kun" Hinata whimpered as the boy approached.

"Hey Hinata" responded the bouncing ninja.

"Ano I-I'm surprised y-you arrived s-so early, N-Naruto-kun" she said tapping her fingers, still not used to talking to Naruto like this.

"Hehe I guess im really excited about the mission. Aren't you?" he flashed the shy Hyuuga a patent grin.

Blushing Hinata looked down slightly, flattered he was interested in how she felt. But the truth was she wasn't excited in the least. While Naruto saw it as a chance to display his skill and gain recognition, Hinata just saw the mission as another chance to let everyone down.

"A-Actually I'm a l-little nervous. D-Do you get n-nervous N-Naruto-kun" she asked timidly

"Well just between you and me I'm a little on edge because this is my first time leaving Konoha" he said rubbing the back of his head.

Hinata was rather surprised to hear this. She had always thought of Naruto as being fearless and never worrying and she admired him for it, but she was happy he would confide in her.

"So why are you so nervous about the mission anyway?" Naruto asked sincerely interested.

"W-Well I always s-seem to find a w-way t-to mess up and I d-don't help as m-much as I c-could" answered Hinata, who was still staring at the ground.

"What? You do tons. Hell, you did all the work on the earlier mission. And you got nothin to worry about, you'll be a huge help." Naruto stated bending down to look into the girl's eyes so he could show off his foxy smile.

"T-Thank you N-Naruto-kun" his trust in her and the fact he was being genuine was enough to make her heart swell with confidence.

"Hey what are you to up to" came the voice of Sakura.

The pink haired kunoichi walked up with Sasuke and behind them was Tazuna and Kakashi.

Suddenly both Naruto and Hinata realized how close their faces were and what the situation might have looked like to an observer. Naruto pulled back and chuckled nervously while Hinata's blush deepened and mentally congratulated herself for staying conscious.

As the four walked over to Naruto and Hinata, Sasuke smirked at Naruto and Sakura walked over to Sakura and winked.

"So everyone's all here and ready?" Kakashi asked looking the group up and down.

"Alright then. LETS GO" cheered Naruto shooting a fist into the air.

With that and a few glares from Sakura in Naruto's direction the group walked off unaware of the pair that sat off in the distances watching them from the trees.

Well I know I kinda broke my promise about the two chapters but I've been unbelievably busy all of a sudden anyway hope you like it. Don't care if you didn't. Either way review please. So for all you people request more romance that's not bad since I wanna take their relationship slowly. Hope that tides you over till at least two more chapters when Naruto has an epiphany.


	6. Chapter 6: Shinobi of the Mist

_**A Team of Five**_

As some of you may have guessed already, being there is now Hinata in the equation the fighting here will be much different from the original. Sorry for the really long wait but I had too work some things out with this one. I always felt that the battle against the Demon Brothers was _way _too short so um I fixed that.

Hey I think I should warn everyone, I have the ghastly habit of killing people off in stories. So if there is anyone in particular you don't want to die you should tell me now. Except Naruto and Hinata I'm not gonna kill them anyway.

_**Chapter Six: Shinobi of the Mist**_

"So who's this loud kid again" asked the bridge builder, Tazuna, pointing to a twitching blonde shinobi.

They had just started off and Naruto was already going squirrely. It seemed Naruto had never before left the gates of Konoha and was rather excited.

Said ninja stopped looking from side to side to answer proudly "I am Uzumaki Naruto future Hokage. Remember my name because it's gonna be one you come to respect"

"Riiight. Kid even if you were the Hokage I wouldn't respect you. Hey am I really safe with him" Tazuna finished turning to Kakashi.

"Well, I'm a jounin so you should be ok" Kakashi answered.

"THAT'S IT! IM GONNA KILL 'EM" yelled Naruto struggling against Kakashi's grip on his jacket.

After walking for several minutes Hinata turned to Tazuna.

"Ano...T-Tazuna-san y-you come f-from Wave Country, yes? A-are t-there n-ninja there?" she asked timidly.

Kakashi choosing to answer for the older man looked at Hinata and began a long explanation of how the shinobi villages, particularly the five great countries, worked as well as the position and power of the Kage. He also added that the Hokage was considered the strongest of all the Kage.

"So you see, there's nothing to worry about" Kakashi said smiling to Hinata.

This last statement received worried look from Tazuna that went unnoticed by all except for Sasuke.

"Wow I didn't know the Hokage was so great" beamed Sakura. **Inner Sakura** _"That old lecher is that powerful?"_

"_The old man can't be so incredible I got him with the sexy no jutsu" _Naruto mumbled to himself.

Sasuke also had similar thoughts running through his mind. Kakashi startled all three out of there thoughts though.

"You all just doubted Hokage-sama...didn't you?"

Hinata was listening and giggled slightly at the looks on her team mates faces. Just then she sensed something out of place, it wasn't so much she had perceived something but more she felt it. At the same time Kakashi had noticed the puddle standing off to the side of the road.

The group moved on ahead past the puddle with Naruto on point with the others following behind. Kakashi, without anyone noticing prepared for the attack. Hinata had sensed it, sure, but was so down on herself she thought she had been imagining things and put her worry to the side.

Slowly two figures, standing back to back, rose quickly and quietly from the puddle which was in fact simply a genjutsu. This illusion is what Hinata had picked up on being sensitive to it with her blood line.

Once fully emerged figure on the back of the first leapt into the air heading for the group. As the pair landed on either side of Kakashi they wrapped the chain, which linked there clawed gauntlets, around his body and pulled it cruelly tight. Finally with a cry of own down the two ninja pulled the jagged chain hard on both sides, slicing Kakashi apart.

Both Sakura and Tazuna were frozen with similar looks of fear while Hinata looked ready to weep. Sasuke looked concentrated and Naruto was completely shocked.

The next target of the shinobi was clear as they appeared directly behind Naruto, who was in the back of the group.

"Two down" came the muffled voice of one of the ninja.

With that the two enemies prepared their next attack, planning for Naruto the same fate that had befallen the jounin.

But Sasuke was too quick and as the chain whirled in the air he jumped up throwing a perfectly aimed shuriken straight at the chain. The star took the chain with it and lodged into a tree and Sasuke pinned both with a well placed kunai.

Realizing they were stuck the Demon Brothers released the chain and charged around Naruto. One going for Tazuna, the other running at Naruto.

"Get back" Sakura yelled to Tazuna as she moved in front of him in a defensive stance.

Before the nin could make it as far as Sakura, Sasuke had landed with one hand onto the out stretched gauntlet of the assailant. Spinning his whole body while bringing it low Sasuke delivered a vicious round kick to the mist ninja's face sending him flying back.

The man caught his balance, and digging his heel into the dirt managed to stay standing and faced Sasuke, both in a stance.

Hinata's heart had nearly stopped when she saw Naruto attacked but he was then saved by Sasuke. This time Sasuke was occupied and Naruto seemed paralyzed. She had never before seen him like this and honestly she was even more frightened than him, but just as in the fight with Kakashi she felt the same emotions and her body moved on its own. Only this time it was not anger it was the will to protect Naruto-kun.

Naruto had completely frozen up and as the attacking ninja was about to strike he raised his hands in defense and closed his eyes. After several seconds of nothing he opened his eyes to see Hinata engaging the ninja with the gentle fist style. She made several hits but missed about one out of every three.

Hinata was managing to dodge or block the ninja's attacks and with each block she struck causing internal damage. Until, she managed to sweep away a blow from the clawed hand but was kicked square in jaw in return. As Hinata returned to Earth the mist shinobi aimed to spin on the leg he first used and hit her square in the solarplexes.

As the young girl fell on her back on the ground she sat up to see Naruto pushing back the blow from the unknown shinobi. The man spun around in a circle to face Naruto again and received a punch from a very aggravated leaf ninja.

With the enemy down Naruto turned to help up Hinata.

"Thanks Hinata I don't know what made me freeze up like that" said a rather embarrassed Naruto to a very nervous Hinata.

"N-No, t-thank you N-Naruto-kun. He w-was about t-to finish me b-before you s-stepped in" replied the Hyuuga girl blushing.

"Hehe I guess we helped each other out this time. You did really good you know I was impressed how long you stayed in there with him"

Hinata blushed even darker and started twiddling her forefingers "Arigato N-Naruto-k-kun"

Naruto scratched the back of his neck and flashed a trademark grin turning to see how the others were faring.

Turning around Naruto hear Hinata gasp and saw the previously defeated ninja of the mist now on his feat and lunging straight for Naruto.

He was petrified again. Hinata was behind him and not fast enough to help him like the last time. Naruto knew he had no hope this time, he was going to die. He raised his hands to protect his face and neck. The sharp pain went through his arm as a large gash reached from his wrist to elbow. Then nothing. No searing pain of a fatal wound or blackness associated with death.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes to see Kakashi standing there with both ninja unconscious, one under each arm.

While Hinata and Naruto were busy with the first of the two attacking ninja, Sasuke had engaged the second, shrouded, ninja in a taijutsu battle.

The two combatants charged at once, Sasuke diving under the clean swipe of his opponents clawed hand, and the mist-nin following up with a high knee, which Sasuke blocked with his two arms in a cross.

They remained pushing against one another for several moments until the mist-nin swept at Sasuke's legs, taking the genin by surprise and punched at his gut.

Sasuke missed the sweep but saw the fist coming at him, grabbing the fist he pushed off and faced the enemy.

In a swift motion the mysterious ninja threw a kunai intending to hit Sasuke in the face. Sasuke dodged but this distracted him enough for his opponent to charge after Tazuna with Sakura out in front still in a defensive position.

The Uchiha prodigy attempted to reach his companions in time but was too slow. Luckily just as he reached Sakura and crouched to attack her neck, the mist-nin was clothes lined by Kakashi and placed under his arm as he faded out to assist Naruto.

Six people know stood in the road, one holding two more under his arms. Sakura looked on in shock of her sensei's speed while Sasuke stood into his laid-back demeanor like nothing had happened. Naruto, who just registered the pain in his arm, clutched at the angry looking slice up to his elbow. Kakashi looked his usually lazy self and Hinata could do nothing more than stand there blinking.

"Sorry I didn't step in sooner you were all doing very well, and I need to know exactly who there target was" at this Tazuna gulped rather loudly "Plus I didn't expect you to zone out like that Naruto" with that said Kakashi walked towards a tree to tie up the captured ninja.

Sasuke turned to Naruto with his hands in his pockets, slouching slightly "You gonna be ok there scardy cat"? Smirked Sasuke.

"Mist shinobi, nasty little buggers. I believe these two are the missing-nin known as the Demon Brothers" Kakashi noted jerking his head in the direction of said ninja. He turned to Naruto who was still just staring of into space "Ok so lets see how that wound is doing"

As Kakashi walked over to inspect the scar, Hinata stepped up beside Naruto and looked at his arm for the first time. She began to weep seeing the nasty gash reaching from his wrist to elbow.

Their sensei bent down, grabbing Naruto's arm he looked it up and down then standing back up he looked to everyone else.

"Well the good news is it should heal quickly, bad news those guys like too use poison. We're gonna have to call off the mission and return to treat Naruto"

He just couldn't take it. First he had needed saving from Sasuke, then he almost got Hinata hurt because he couldn't handle it, then he needed help _again _from Kakashi-sensei. Now they all had to go back just because of him.

Everyone froze and turned to look at Naruto who had taken out a kunai and was in the process bleeding himself to remove the poison. Hinata nearly fainted seeing this and everyone else, including Sasuke, stared on in disbelief. Naruto had a look no one had seen on him before, it was a look of pure determination and he smirked in a way that would scare any enemy and encourage any ally.

"I swear on the blood I today have shed, I will never again need my companions to save me, never again will I run in fear or freeze at danger. I will never take back my word...this is my nindo"

"Uhhhh Naruto that's cool how you did that and everything but umm if you don't stop your gonna die of blood loss...seriously" Kakashi warned casually, though in truth he was very much impressed.

The blonde ninja visibly paled and started jumping around waving his hand in the air.

"Save me sensei someone heeeeelp" Naruto yelled, running in circles screaming.

Someone placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and calm washed over him. Naruto looked down to see Hinata removing a lavender shirt from her pack, ripping it she wrapped it around Naruto's wound saving him from losing any further blood.

"H-Hinata-chan..." Naruto whispered almost inaudibly.

Hinata jerked up into a standing position and blushed intensely. Wait had he just called her Hinata-chan?

"H-Hai N-Naruto-kun" she replied

"Thank you Hinata-chan" he said softly.

"_Eeee he did c-call me chan" _she thought blissfully, trying desperately not to become too light headed.

Suddenly Naruto seemed to pull himself back to reality.

"Heheh I guess I needed to be more careful neh? Ya know you should really be a medic" Naruto said in his usual loud voice.

Hinata was similarly pulled from her reverie.

"Ano...O-Otou-san w-would not a-approve" Hinata began looking to the ground and pushing her fingers together thoughtfully.

"Really? Well we could always change that" the young genin flashed Hinata, who had an increasing blush, a foxy grin.

Looking down to his arm he noticed a large tear in his coat's arm "Oh what the hell! Great now I need a new jacket. Son of bitch" growled Naruto.

"Ahem if you two are done I think it would be best if we continued on" Kakashi turned on Tazuna "We will escort you to your home, but unless the situation and why you have ninja after you we will be unable to guard you while you complete your bridge."

Tazuna sighed and resigned himself to explain what was really going on. By the time he had finished his long explanation of the state of Wave Country, the group was already on the boat which would carry them from the Fire Country.

"And so you see, we could not possible afford an A rank mission, we could barely afford this D rank. But if you don't wish to continue that's fine" at this point Tazuna put on a very desperate voice "my little grandson will just cry for a few dies and my daughter, of course, will be totally heartbroken."

"Well, hahah I guess we don't have much of a choice we will continue this as a D rank mission" Kakashi smiled weakly.

Tazuna thanked them but in his mind...

"_I win" _flashing the victory sign.

"Tazuna-san we have arrived" called the boatman.

"Thank you" Tazuna replied happily.

As the six stepped onto shore Kakashi was contemplating how their next opponent would almost assuredly be a jounin. The girls were stealing sidelong glances at Naruto and Sasuke, neither of which noticed because they were busy dwelling on battles that were most likely to come.

"Get me to my house and you guys can stay there until the bridge is finished"

"Don't worry Tazuna-san we'll get you home soon enough" sighed Kakashi. "We may get attacked at any moment and this time it won't be a chuunin. So Hinata I want you to keep an eye on the surroundings so we're not caught off guard."

"H-Hai Kakashi-sensei" Hinata focused chakra to her eyes and** "Byakugan" **she activated her bloodline technique.

Team 7 stationed themselves around Tazuna with Hinata in the back, Kakashi in front and Sakura and Sasuke on either side. Naruto took point and was constantly looking around and, much too everyone's annoyance, attacking every sound he heard. Sakura had finally had enough when he nearly killed a rabbit.

Hinata suddenly sensed movement in the trees beside the road but before she could warn anyone a giant sword, the size of a man, was tearing through the air at head level.

"Get down!" was all she managed before hitting the dirt.

Everyone followed suit, diving for the ground, Sasuke taking Tazuna with him.

Naruto looked up from under his arms to see the giant blade embed itself into a nearby tree. He blinked once and suddenly a man was standing on the handle of the sword facing away from the Konoha ninja.

Once the risk of his head being removed was gone, Kakashi got to his feet and inspected the ninja in front of him.

"Another missing-nin of the mist...Momochi Zabuza the Devil of Hidden Mist" Kakashi was speaking more to Zabuza than anyone else.

Naruto had made it back to his feet along with the others and was ready to attack at any moment.

"Well no wonder the Demon Brothers didn't stand a chance. The infamous copy ninja of Konoha Sharingan Kakashi."

This got everyone's attention. Both Hinata and Sasuke knew of the sharingan and Sasuke couldn't understand how Kakashi had the technique of his clan. Naruto and Sakura on the other hand had no clue as to what this was.

"Hmm and a Hyuuga and last Uchiha as well if I'm not mistaken." Zabuza continued looking at the four genin positioned around Tazuna. "Hahah this might actually be some fun."

"_Dammit, Sasuke _again_"_ Naruto roared to himself.

Naruto had planned on attacking Zabuza but it seemed Kakashi had predicted it.

"Everyone back! He won't be like the others. Against him..." he raised his forehead protector revealing hie previously hidden left eye "I'm going to need this."

His eye was completely red except for three comma like marks surrounding his pupil and a dark line connecting all three marks.

In a flash Zabuza was standing on the surface of a nearby, miniature lake. An obviously unnatural mist began to fill the clearing blocking him from view as the mist-nin flashed through hand seals.

The ominous sound of Zabuza's voice flashing through the vital spots of the human body filled the area chilling everyone deep down.

Sasuke was about ready to snap he was seriously begining to consider offing himself just to break the tension in the air that was crushing him.

Suddenly everyone was thrown in diffrent directions a,s first Zabuza appeared in a striking stance ,then Kakashi came to grab him before he could kill the four genin and Tazuna.

Naruto watched in shock at the jounin battle in front of him. These were really ninja nothing like him and the others, Zabuza could kill him in an instant he realized. Naruto turned to run but as he put pressure on his left arm to stand the pain stopped him.

Looking down at the bandage Hinata had put there his vow came back to him and he knew he couldn't abandon his team.

Kakashi and Zabuza, still battling in the middle of the road, each struck at the other and both disappeared with a splash revealing they were water clones.

Naruto caught movement out of the corner of his eye. As he turned to look at what it was he saw Zabuza in mid-swing behind Hinata about too cut the young Hyuuga in two.

Alright I gotta end it here cause I'm gonna tweak this fight like the last one but to do that I need to think and I would like to get this out this week so review please.


	7. Chapter 7: Hidden Leaf VS Bloddy Mist

_**A Team of Five**_

Hmmm well that took **way **longer than I woulda liked but well my social life interfered with my writing. Sorry, anyway since it is now spring break I should be able to update sooner than usual. If I feel so inclined and I'm not just being lazy X)

_**Chapter Seven: Leaf VS. Bloody Mist**_

To say that Naruto was pissed was an understatement. In fact he flew through the required hand seals faster than he ever had in his life.

As a kage bunshin popped into existence, the two Narutos spun rapidly and Naruto was flung straight at Zabuza and a very stunned Hinata.

Naruto made the distance in just too short of time. He was able to tackle Hinata clear of the giant clever that threatened to cut her in two but the blade went straight through Naruto's leg.

Hinata's eyes snapped wide open in fear as did everyone else's. Until the expected scream did not come and was replaced with a loud pop. The Naruto that had it's leg detached was in fact the shadow clone and the real Naruto was barreling down on Zabuza before he could collecting himself from what had just happened.

Just as the blonde made it to the ninja from the mist, Zabuza spun on his left heel and dealt Naruto a fierce blow with the cheek of his blade. Naruto was hurled several feet away and his forehead protector was left at Zabuza's feet.

Before Zabuza could go after Hinata or Naruto who were both still down, Kakashi made his reappearance only this time Zabuza knew it was coming. He used a small but high pressured water jutsu to knock the copy nin back straight into the water. That's when the real Zabuza trapped him in a spherical prison of water. The now revealed water clone turned its attention back on Naruto.

(A/N ok so I reused the old "trap Kakashi" bit, but it's the best way to let the genin show off for a bit.)

The blonde boy was once again charging blindly at Zabuza seemingly in an attempt to tackle him. Half way to his destination, Naruto released two dozen shadow clones all latching onto the Zabuza clone while the real Naruto continued running.

"Naruto you idiot you can't win" Sakura screamed from the opposite side of the clearing with Tazuna beside her and Sasuke out in front.

"All of you run! The battle was over the second I was caught." yelled Kakashi from his prison earning a grin from the real Zabuza.

Hinata had gotten back to her feet and stationed herself between Zabuza and Naruto and where Sasuke stood. Activating her Byakugan, the heiress could see the missing-nin crouch down in a twisted position and spin with his blade taking out every clone at once.

Just as Naruto had reached his opponent he was kneed in the gut sending him to the ground. A foot was placed firmly on his head and he was once again kicked away with a painful blow to the kidney.

"Your pathetic just some kid playing ninja. Even your sensei was nothing to me." Zabuza's face twisted into a look of insane glee. "At your age I was already drenched in blood. God those were good times!"

"Devil Zabuza of the Bloody Mist" muttered Kakashi darkly.

"So even the great copy ninja of Konoha has heard of me" laughed Zabuza.

"S-Sensei what are you too talking about" Sakura piped up.

Kakashi sighed "There was a time when the hidden mist was known as bloody mist. During the final exam to become a ninja, candidates were pitted against one another in a fight to the death. That is until one they would forever call devil of the mist, appeared and slaughtered all others ruthlessly."

"Devil? Hah your more like a little baby devil." Spat Naruto.

Everyone's attention was back on the usually hyperactive ninja.

After being kicked a little to Sasuke and Hinata's left, he had gotten to his feet and was now standing unsteadily. There was a collective look of surprise on the faces of everyone present at what they saw. In Naruto's hand was the forehead protector he had lost in his first charge.

"_So the dobe knew what he was doing the whole time" _Sasuke mused to himself.

"Th-This was the forehead protector Iruka-sensei took from his own head for me." He was having trouble with his panting. "Me, Uzumaki Naruto future Hokage of the Hidden Leaf" he declared proudly. "I'm not afraid of someone like you. As long as my friends stay to fight, so will I"

Zabuza's laughter filled the clearing, then he suddenly became dark. "Your ballsy kid, _but _you have no idea what your getting into."

Naruto turned and looked to Sasuke, then to the others in turn.

"Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan, look after the old man" everyone was surprised by how serious Naruto was being. After both girls nodded he turned to Sasuke and continued "and Sasuke-" he suddenly flashed a grin, his face full of determination "lets get crazy".

The light burning behind Naruto's eyes told Sasuke there was a plan forth coming, and to his own surprise he was calmed by his comrades confidence. "OK dobe what's the plan"

Naruto turned completely around to face the dark haired Uchiha and flashed the tiger seal. "First off we're gonna kick the crap outta this _water _clone."

Then turning back to face the mizu bunshin he removed a windmill shuriken behind his back, hiding it from view to all except Sasuke.

Hinata had moved beside Sakura and together the two were in a defensive position around Tazuna. Both girls had no idea what was going on and were completely thrown off guard when the two boys pulled off the plan with little more than eye contact to communicate.

Realization hit Sasuke all at once and was shocked, while at the same time impressed, at the plan Naruto had come up with in the middle of a fight.

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu" **Sasuke yelled finishing his sealing with tiger.

As the great ball of flame hurtled toward a temporarily off put Zabuza clone, Naruto added the giant shuriken without the notice of the enemy. Finally Sasuke finished the scheme off by making an elaborate display of pulling out a second shuriken.

"Shadow shuriken!" yelled the avenger.

The second projectile seemed to disappeared to Zabuza and he figured it was within the flames, but he was only half right.

When the water clone attempted to block the shuriken guessed to be within the fire, as he was unable to avoid the oncoming inferno, it was completely destroyed being water against flame. With no interference the shuriken and remaining fire continued on to its intended target, Zabuza.

The only known ninja star sped ahead of the fireball, with the second still concealed within the first's shadow.

When the attack came within an inch of taking off his head, Zabuza simply plucked it from the air.

"Bah, shuriken won't do you any good kid" Zabuza mocked Sasuke.

The mist nin's attention was suddenly peaked when he noticed the second object he had before missed. Just at the last second he leapt over the star, careful to not release Kakashi, which then embedded in a tree across the lake.

Finally Zabuza was faced with the final obstacle, the grand fireball that had destroyed his clone. He began preparing himself for the weak flame that would cause minimal if not nonexistent damage to the hardened ninja.

Suddenly the last of the fire, which had slowly diminished as it traveled without Sasuke's chakra to fuel it, completely dispersed revealing a very pissed Naruto.

Without any free hands and being partly in the air Zabuza was forced to take Naruto's blow full on in the face, causing the much larger ninja to take a step back but still not releasing the prison.

Almost instantly Zabuza regained his composure and with his feet now back balancing on the water he threw his left hand forward, opening a large gash in Naruto's side with the large four-pointed shuriken in his hand.

Naruto skipped the few feet across the water landing half in and half out of the water on the shore. He was still conscious but in too much pain to move. Too much pain to notice the wound slowly closing and the pain receding, though it still was more than he had ever felt before.

The four remaining members of Team 7 had little more going through their minds than fear for Naruto and pure fury toward the man now standing, smirking with a large bloody shuriken in his hand.

There they were again, those feelings she had felt during the genin exam against Kakashi-sensei, the want to protect, to defend at all costs. The anger that had flared up while facing their first real opponents. These emotions rushed screaming back at Hinata and she stood there staring down Zabuza with Byakugan eyes, shaking no longer with fear or timidness but pure hate something that until this day had never before entered her mind.

The killing intent that practically rolled off of the small Hyuuga girl drew the attention of everyone in the clearing including Tazuna who had no ninja training. It was so strong it even over powered the force radiating from one Uchiha Sasuke.

He hated to admit it but Sasuke liked Naruto, felt he might even have a shred of respect for the loud mouth. Sasuke had practically frozen when Zabuza batted them away, even trapping Kakashi, but Naruto remained determined and Sasuke respected that. All because of that confidence and will were they willing to keep fighting.

Sensing the intent to kill coming from one another both Uchiha and Hyuuga looked at one another and with no words being spoken turned on Zabuza and charged.

It doesn't need to be said but Sasuke now found himself in a position he never could have imagined. He was along side Hyuuga Hinata barreling down together on a jounin, powerful enough to restrain Kakashi, all in an attempt to avenge Naruto and get him help.

It wasn't she didn't want to go it's that she couldn't. The sudden impact of reality hurt and she knew then that day, she was the weakest of Team 7. Even the dead last Naruto and the shy loner Hinata had her beat any day of the week. While everyone else had anger like her she was the only one, except for maybe Kakashi-sensei, who felt completely useless at that moment as she watched Naruto 'dying' and half of her team attacking the devil of the mist.

Finally Sakura steeled her nerve and slid into her best defensive position. Even if she would be no use in battle she could at the very least protect Tazuna with her very life.

Naruto slowly let the pain take over as he slipped into what he believed to be death, given he had no other choice as he was almost seeming to be pulled toward his destination. The last thing he registered but only partially was the yell of two familiar voices and the pounding of feet.

The two avenging genin ran down the shore at Zabuza. "Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled like a battle cry while Sasuke was just yelling though in his mind he was beginning to come to terms with his 'friendship' with Naruto"Baka" he said softly as the two lifted from the ground at the water's edge.

Naruto reawakened in a small, dirty and really wet room. Looking around he couldn't imagine every being in a place like it before.

"Oh great I'm in hell" Naruto sighed.

While he began wallowing in self pity, Naruto heard what could be described as a voice though every word chilled him. The voice was completely foreign to the young ninja, and yet seemed like he recognized it.

It was calling him, even though he couldn't completely understand what was being said. All he knew was he was suddenly following it. As Naruto followed the disembodied call down passages, past rooms similar to the one he awoke in, he realized this is what had drawn him in, what had dragged him into unconsciousness.

Naruto continued to walk until the sounds brought him to a door, larger than the others but unlike the others it was locked. A strange sort of power seemed to pulse from the door, causing Naruto to take a step back.

"**Hello small one" **the voice rumbled clearly from behind the closed door.

"Wh-who the hell are you" squeaked Naruto, trying to bring strength back into his voice.

"**That, at this point, is unimportant"** came the quick reply.

"Am I dead...is this hell?" Naruto asked the question he was dreading.

The reply was not what he expected. The sound of laughter reached the ears of the blonde and this sound frightened him more than anything else.

"**Hell? For you, no, but in a way yes. And no you are not dead, simply unconscious."**

Naruto thought on this for a second before continuing his questioning of the strange being that seemed to be residing in his mind.

"Why am I here? My friends are probably still fighting!" Naruto finally remembered the ongoing fight with Zabuza.

"**I needed you here while I healed that wound you had inflicted on by means of your own stupidity!" **was the rather harsh reply Naruto received.

Rather than biting back with his own comment Naruto, just chose defeat when he decided, it was true. The plan was good and Sasuke had done his part, but in the end Naruto was sloppy and it cost him.

Being unable to stand on the surface of water like their sensei or for that matter Zabuza, both Hinata and Sasuke were forced to bounce off of the missing nin after one attack.

On the second charge Sasuke managed to kick away the windmill shuriken from Zabuza's hand, while he was distracted by Hinata who sealed off a chakra point in his opposite arm before they were both swept away by the mist nin's now empty hand.

"Get the hell outta here, it's no use fighting him now. Just get Naruto to safety." But Kakashi's pleas fell on deaf ears as the two genin continued to battle with the one handed jounin.

Naruto was snapped out of his mental meditation by the sound of his sensei yelling for a retreat. He was still deep within his own mind and in front of the strange immovable door, while supposedly being healed. He only believed this last part because the pain had receded so he had no reason to not believe.

"Th-that was sensei." Naruto mused softly. "Hey whatever the shit you are! Let me the hell outta here!"

"**Fine, your out of danger but don't say I didn't warn you when you awaken."** the voice mentioned offhandedly.

Naruto snapped awake in his position half on the shore with his legs hanging in the lake water. There was a blinding hot pain running up his side, looking down he saw the last of his wound closing slowly. The edges of the gash were red and seemed to burn as the grew closer together and closed off. Finally the last of the pain receded before he was able to even move.

"So that was what the bastard meant. God that hurt." Naruto muttered darkly as he stood up to look around.

He believed to have been in that strange place for close to an hour but in reality the world around him had moved for about a minute, two at the most.

Hinata and Sasuke were in the middle of a third attack and Zabuza was busy defending. Kakashi was watching the whole completely on edge. But Sakura noticed when Naruto spoke, and slowly turning her head to face him she nearly screamed.

"H-He...I mean y-you're not dead" Sakura was pointing an accusing finger at Naruto.

"Hmm. Yea and the sky's blue, what's your point Sakura-chan?" Naruto laughed.

The two attacking genin landed panting ahead of Sakura and to the side of Naruto. Looking over the both of them were completely speechless. There was Naruto, who they had thought was dead from the horrible injure inflicted by Zabuza, grinning and without a scratch on him.

Zabuza was equally shocked and, frankly, a little unnerved. It wasn't a genjutsu or any ninjutsu because it didn't vanish when hit with the shuriken and yet here he stood, that blonde little hyper freak, smiling like nothing happened.

Almost like he had finally remembered what exactly where he was, Naruto snapped his attention back to Zabuza. A plan almost instantly came to mind when he saw the Uchiha and Hyuuga had been fighting with the mist nin.

"Hinata, can you get close enough to seal his arm with that thing you do?" he asked of his team mate, though cerulean eyes never left Zabuza.

"I-I think s-so if I c-could get c-close enough." With her initial anger gone Hinata was back to being slightly nervous.

"Well I think me and Sasuke-bastard can handle getting you in close enough." Naruto smirked seeing the look Sasuke was giving him.

"Hah that's easy enough just don't go gettin' in my way dobe" Sasuke was smirking but his eyes were relieved.

"Alright so it's settled, we'll keep him busy and you get rid of his other arm. Break!"

With the last word both Naruto and Sasuke leapt at Zabuza, who had only caught snatches of the conversation. Sasuke came in high with a mid-air round kick to the head, while Naruto flew both feet forward at Zabuza's chest.

The devil of the mist had dodged the attack from the dark genin only to receive a more forceful hit from the orange leaf nin when he ducked. His head was snapped back and his body was one big opening.

That's when Hinata saw her opening and she ran forward, shuddering slightly under the pressure of her task. Everything rested on her, if she freed Kakashi they could sit back and watch but if not they were back to square one and the same tactic would not provide an opening twice.

Everything seemed to slow down to her perspective, her target was clear and the objective was within range. With one simple strike the battle could be over and she wouldn't be a failure to Naruto's eyes.

That was it, the inspiration she needed. Hinata steeled her resolve and time shifted back into it's normal pace.

Two strikes one to the shoulder and another in the forearm. This was all that was needed after the first blow she had landed. Zabuza's arm fell limply and as he swung to kick her away, the leg was blocked by a very pissed looking Hatake Kakashi.

Having no way to propel herself back, Hinata splashed harmlessly into the water at the feet of the two Jounin, who were no staring each other down.

"I hope you know, a jutsu never works on me twice." Kakashi spoke darkly.

"Heh I would hope not." was Zabuza's only reply before they pushed apart.

The former ninja of the hidden mist was now unable to completely any jutsu because of his now useless arm.

"_Shit, if only that blonde hadn't interfered, I woulda bin rid of the Hyuuga and this wouldn't've happened" _Zabuza mentally cursed his bad luck. _"Speaking of the little nuisance, how the hell did he not die."_

Reaching for his sword, Zabuza switched into a defensive stance and prepared for the attack that was forthcoming from the infamous copy cat ninja.

"_Being locked up so damn long trained me. Why didn't' I remember to deactivated the sharigan...crap. I'm gonna have to end this one quick." _Kakashi thought to himself.

"Hey, just because I released the jutsu, don't think this is over already." Zabuza was trying to sound confident but was privately hoping for a bale out from his companion in the trees.

"No...your wrong." Kakashi answered plainly. "Not only is this battle over but you didn't release the jutsu, they forced you too." he pointed in the general direction of his team.

Despite everything that had happened in this short amount of time the genin couldn't help but show pride in their own way be it a grin, smirk or shy smile.

"Even though I told them to run, they stayed here and helped me. Now you die Zabuza." Kakashi turned back on said nin, with cold eyes.

The leaf jounin begin flipping through hand seals wanting to end this early. Finally he finished and calling out his jutsu, the water seemed to explode and with its force Zabuza was hurled back to crash through a tree and rest against another. But Kakashi wasn't finished, almost instantly after the wave of his first attack hit the shore he began his sealing again. This time the water erupted in the figure of a great dragon of water.

The aquatic beast reared its head and smashed Zabuza against the tree he was stumbling away from. When all water had cleared Kakashi was seen standing above a barely alive Zabuza ready to plunge his kunai through the devil's throat, but someone beat him to it.

By the time everyone reached the spot Kakashi now stood with a dead Zabuza and an unknown, the unidentified ninja had dropped from his perch in a nearby tree to address them.

Kakashi was the only member of his team that was not shocked, in fact he had completely reverted back to his lazy stance with his hands in his pockets. The genin as well as Tazuna however were not as calm. Naruto was the most shocked of all and showed it.

The enemy they had struggled against the one Hinata and Sasuke put themselves in danger against was just easily defeated by a needle to the jugular, and by a kid that looked no older than he.

"W-What the hell was that?" the hyper blonde yelled to no one in particular. Turning on the newcomer he continued to rant. "And who the fuck do you think you are, huh?"

"Naruto calm down. He isn't an enemy. That mask is from a hidden mist hunter-nin, obviously after Zabuza." Kakashi said calmly though with a hint of pleading at seeing the young genin so heated up.

"Do you think that I care?" Naruto yelled a lot quieter than before.

"I'm sorry for an trouble this has caused you. I'll be disposing of the body now. Thank you for your assistance." the boy said in an quiet yet warming tone.

Lifting the much heavier body of the dead Zabuza the hunter-nin disappeared with a swirl of dust and leaves, leaving Team 7 alone.

"So...who else needs a drink after that?" Kakashi asked as he turned to his twelve year old subordinates with a smile that curved his now single visible eye.

Had Naruto been in a better mood, Hinata not been completely stunned, Sasuke capable of such a thing at this point and Sakura not ready to kill someone from all the tension, they might have laughed at their sensei's jest.

"Hahah that was great you really saved me back there...wow so my place ain't far ahead, how about you guys crash there." Tazuna offered finally coming out of his silence.

"Bout time you offered, jeeze." Naruto mumbled more to himself.

This of course received a smack from Sakura who then went into a lengthy lecture on manners as Hinata fumbled beside him wondering if she should help with the lump growing on his head. Sasuke stood to the side and smirked, but not one of superiority more one of actual amusement.

"Ok so let's get going if you guys are done messing around." Kakashi called as he and Tazuna began down the road.

"Hey sensei your pretty tough to just shake off that whole thing. Your not even that banged up." Naruto mentioned when they had caught up.

"Hahaha well the sharingan does take a lot outta me but I should...be..." Kakashi trailed off, leaving his thought unfinished as he blacked out where he stood. Pitching forward to meet the ground without pain thanks to the sweet comfort of unconsciousness, only to wake again in the house of the bridge builder.

"Oh that's just great. Now we gotta carry him." Naruto whined looking over his leader's stricken form.

"Me and you can take turns lugging him back to the village." Sasuke instructed, taking the first shift and lifting the older man onto his back before he started off behind Tazuna.

As the five people walked little conversation passed between them. Tazuna was blissfully thinking of those that awaited his return. Both Sasuke and Hinata thought of Naruto and wondered how he could have healed so quickly. Naruto was having similar thoughts but was also pondering the strange nin that had taken away the body of Zabuza.

Sakura had a completely different train of thought than any of them. She couldn't get past the feeling of uselessness she felt the entire battle. This was when she made a decision, no longer would she stand by and watch she would improve and next time be of use.

The pink haired konoichi was about to voice her apology for being of so little help to her team mates when Naruto beat her to speaking.

"Thank you" was all he managed to get out. He never was good at speaking. Turning to the faces of his friends and comrades. "I-I...before I blacked out I saw you going at the mist guy. It was the same thing I saw when I came too."

Sasuke just looked at the shorter ninja with a blank face before grinning so slightly it almost went unnoticed by Naruto and the others...almost. Hinata blushed in her trademark fashion and turned her gaze away from Naruto not able to meet his eyes.

"Well Sasuke-teme, Hinata-chan I guess I owe you both one eh." he flashed them all his trademark grin.

Zabuza lay beaten and without a pulse. Slowly, the hunter-nin began removing one of the needles lodged in the throat of the missing-nin. When the first one was finally out the older man seemed to stir and then snap awake ripping out the last needle as well as tearing off the bandages that covered his face.

"Jesus Haku! Do you really need to hit me in the neck it leaves me sore for days." he grumbled laying back down, trying not to make the pain he was in noticeable.

"I'm sorry Zabuza-san but you would be much angrier with me had I scarred your body." the boy known as Haku replied in the same low tone.

"How long will I be out of commission for?"

"About a week and a half with the beating you received." Haku answered his master.

"Hmm fine I guess that means the leaf nin get a little more time to live." Zabuza let that ominous thought hang in the air as he aloud Haku to remove the second senbon.

Man I just couldn't get a spot to end this damn chapter it just kept going and going jeeze. Anyway, were are my reviews I get like 1000 hits a chapter but an average of 10 reviews per chapter...what is that?


	8. Chapter 8: Training Day

_**A Team of Five**_

Ok so after my unofficial break here comes a chapter I've been dreading . . . Why, you ask? Coz it's boring but it has too be done. I mean I tried to wrap it up a few weeks ago, but it just kept on going.

Thank you all for the reviews. You know I was startin' to wonder if I had ADD then I realized I was just really lazy XD silence ok so maybe a few of you don't appreciate the lateness but . . . I'm sorry what else can I say? Kay it is now time for some character building woo hoo twirls finger sarcastically.

_**Chapter Eight: Training Day**_

Kakashi awoke with only one thought running through his mind . . . _"Where the hell can I get an aspirin?"_ He was a little sore and the way he was half dragged from the lake didn't help any.

Despite the great debate running through Kakashi's mind, whether there's a giant morphine in a mile radius, his subordinates didn't even know he was awake yet. All four Genin were positioned around the room, Sasuke lounged against the door, Naruto sat with his back to the wall and both girls were kneeling, deep in thought, somewhere in between.

Finally the copy ninja sat up with a sigh. It was time to discuss the issue he had been pondering before he had blacked out. Something hadn't seemed right about the whole situation. It was just something in the back of his head since the end of the battle with the mist ninja.

Thinking back, Kakashi slowly pieced together everything that had happened from his last jutsu to the exit of the hunter-nin. That was it! Everything clicked into place.

When he had sat up, the remainder of Team 7 had turned to Kakashi, but seeing the intense look of concentration on their leaders face the Genin kept quiet. Then after several moments of Kakashi merely sitting silently his visible eye shot open and he seemed to have come to a decision.

Sighing the masked ninja rested his face in his hands and addressed his team.

"Zabuza . . . he's still alive somewhere." He stated bluntly.

The news hit everyone fairly hard and while some were shocked others were skeptical. This was of course Sasuke and Sakura.

"Wait. We saw him get killed and dragged away by that mist ninja!" Sakura

Taking his face out of his hands, Kakashi was back to his lazy and nonchalant demeanour. "Think about it carefully. What was used to deliver the killing blow?"

Everyone was silent for a moment, the first to realize the importance of this piece of information was Sasuke.

"The senbon." The dark-eyed boy hissed, unable to keep emotion from leaking into his words. He was as surprised as the others at the declaration of their enemy being alive, and though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he was just as happy as Naruto at this prospect.

Kakashi turned and faced Sasuke then back to the others in turn. "Exactly. That boy was obviously a hunter-nin at some point and with their extensive knowledge of a human's body he could have easily pulled off a shot to the neck but not fatal."

"B-but sensei didn't y-you check?" Hinata mumbled to the floor.

"Hmm? Well yeah." Kakashi confessed, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "But the thing is, as a hunter-nin, the knowledge of the body the boy must have received, coupled with his flawless aim with a senbon, could easily allow him to cut off the appropriate blood vessels and put a person into a death like sleep."

Hinata had learned all of this before during her private studies, which she received being the daughter of the clan leader, so she was a little embarrassed by her own question. Sakura also knew this to an extent as did Sasuke, but Naruto . . . he was lost.

Looking around the room, said ninja noticed he was the only one totally lost. _"If I just nod and pretended I know what's going on I should be fine."_

"Anyway, the simple fact of the matter is our enemy is still alive and this mission isn't over yet. We'll stay to protect Tazuna until said time as he no longer requires such protection." Looking around, Kakashi was happy to see no objections.

Despite the worry of the first and most powerful ninja they had faced returning everyone was prepared to face Zabuza, and the new arrival, head on. Except Naruto, Hinata couldn't help but notice the way he was shivering, but where Hinata couldn't see the boys obscured face, Kakashi could and he saw the look in his eyes and the grin on his face. In fact where the others saw fear, the jounin saw excitement in the shaking of Naruto's shoulders.

Breaking from his reverie, Kakashi addressed the four Genin who were way over their heads, though each had separate looks everyone was determined. "Ok so since we'll have about a week and a half between the recovery that'll be needed for Zabuza's injuries as well as recovering from the forced coma. We'll be spending that time training."

At this point Tazuna walked in, happy to see the jounin awake, with his daughter Tsunami, who wasn't happy the idiot was going to try training already.

Kakashi through his hands up in a defensive position from the women's verbal assault. "It has nothing to do with me because it's not gonna be me doing this particular training." He finished mischievously.

"Wait. What chance are we gonna have against two jounin? No matter what this training is, it won't help us enough to make a difference sensei."

"No. You all did very well, never once did you think about abandoning me or Naruto. You all did what was necessary and required of you. Each of you has grown a lot and in your own way. Especially you Naruto." The masked ninja spoke to the entire room.

"Heheh. You hear that? I've grown the most." Naruto pumped his fist into the air.

**X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X** **X**

"_Ok. So, maybe not?"_ Kakashi couldn't stop the thought from popping into his head.

The team had been instructed to meet their sensei in the woods outside of the village, while Kakashi did . . . whatever it was that he did. They now had been waiting for half an hour and were starting to get impatient.

"Where in the hell is that lazy ass?" Naruto growled, tapping his foot pensively.

"Well, I've been waiting for you four to finish lying around." The voice coming from the branches high above drew everyone's attention, and hearing that it was their sensei Naruto began laughing nervously.

"Eh hahaha . . . ya know I was only kiddin' around . . . right sensei?"

Everyone jumped back a step as four kunai plummeted from the trees and landed, tip deep, in the earth at their feet.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Sakura yelled up the tree.

"You'll need those to train." Was Kakashi's simple reply. "Climb up the tree without your hands and as you do so mark your progress with the kunai."

Dead silence. After a few moments of this, the teams "representative" spoke up.

"OK, OK. Wait a second here! One, how the hell do we climb without our hands and two, why?" Naruto demanded.

"Well it's rather obvious, isn't it? If you can't use your hands, then use your feet." With that Kakashi appeared from behind the leaves and began walking straight down the tree, crutches and all. But the impressive part that turned everyone's head, well almost everyone's, was he was walking as if he was on steady ground with nothing but his feet.

Upon reaching the base of the tree the ex-ANBU proceeded to finish his explanation.

"See, with the right application of energy you can stick to the tree, but if you don't have the right balance you won't stay on for long."

"Fine, sounds easy but what the hell is the point in the end?" Naruto had gotten over his initial shock of watching his instructor stroll casually down a huge tree.

"It I-increases c-chakra c-control." Hinata muttered quietly before she could stop herself. She didn't want Naruto-kun to hate her for making him look stupid.

It was Kakashi's turn to be surprised, mildly. He raised an eyebrow at the shy heiress. "Hinata, have you seen this exercise before?"

"Y-Yes, a-all Hyuuga learn th-this. It's important t-to have good c-control and s-stamina for the g-gentle fist." Hinata squeaked, hoping this would be the end of the questions. "But I n-never mastered it." She finished more to her herself than anyone else.

That's when the third surprising feat of the day occurred.

Naruto picking up on the sadness in Hinata's voice, moved to her side and placing a hand on her shoulder, tried comforting the young girl. "Hey you've got one hell of a head start on the rest of us. You think I could get a quick pointer so I'd have a one up on Sasuke-teme." This last part he said in a speedy whisper that made the white eyed girl giggle.

Seeing the blush hit the girl's cheeks at Naruto's close proximity, Kakashi made a strategic move. "Naruto give Hinata some space before she passes out and we have to wait for her to come back around."

"The hell does that mean?" The blonde muttered, walking over to pick up his kunai.

"_Clueless idiot."_ Both Sasuke and Sakura sighed inwardly.

"Aaaanyway" Kakashi drawled carelessly "how about you slackers start already. Oh and for the first bit I'd suggest a running start."

Hinata stared at the tree almost shyly and Sakura looked at hers amused. Sasuke and Naruto though had looks of sheer determination as they glared holes in the wood.

Each genin took hold of their respective kunai and, taking their teacher's advice, ran at the four trees that stood before them.

Kakashi watched from the sideline as Naruto applied to little chakra and made it no more than his own height up the tree before falling on his head. Sasuke flipped off the tree as he expelled to much chakra and the wood burst under the pressure.

"_Well that's about right isn't it."_ The jounin then turned his gaze upon the female half of his team and was very surprised.

Hinata had made it nearly to the first branches before she kind of slid down on her feet._ "Hmm seems more like a lack of attitude, or maybe confidence, than a lack of concentration."_

The real surprise whoever came from the final member of the team. A pink-haired konoichi now sat on a tree branch equal to the level of the one he had appeared on when he had first arrived.

Surveying the first attempt by his team Kakashi made his assessment. "Well it looks like the closest one here to being Hokage is Sakura. And as for the great Uchiha clan it looks like they're nothing special, the Hyuuga sure have them beat."

"Kakashi-sensei stop it!" Sakura yelled down from her perch. Inner Sakura: _"Shut it you bastard, you want Sasuke-kun to hate me!"_

"P-Please s-sensei. They d-doing the b-best they c-can." Hinata whimpered, afraid of hurting her crushes pride and angering her silent team mate, when they had just reached a mutual sort of respect after the last battle.

Instead of fuming or yelling the two that had been insulted seemed to look to each other with knowing looks. Hardening their determination they picked up their kunai and charged for the trees once again.

The remained of the day was spent with nothing but training and later they all returned to Tazuna's home for dinner.

Naruto had taken the whole day to finally get the idea of balance but Sasuke had flourished and was catching up Hinata's level.

Hinata was very jealous of Sakura as she seemed her improvement was non-existent. Sure she was already better than the boys but she had a head start and she felt Sakura just made her look foolish.

Sakura, having already grasped the concept, had spent the day walking up and down the tree.

The Uchiha and Uzumaki had managed to continue all day long without breaks, much to the amazement of their teammates, who required regular rests.

During one of these said rests the girls were lounging in the shade of a large tree across the clearing from their training trees.

Sakura looked to her white-eyed teammate, who was staring at the crash, and notice every so often she would take a sidelong look at Naruto.

"So you gonna ask him out any time soon?" Sakura asked, suddenly in the mood to chat.

Hinata blushed almost immediately and forgot about the interesting bend in the grass. "S-Sakura-san I-I don't know of w-what you refer."

"Well I mean, I know you like Naruto, so are you gonna ever tell him how you feel?" She answered bluntly.

Hinata's face began inventing new shades of red. _"I-Is it really that obvious?" _

"Yep." Was the simple reply.

This made Hinata jump as she hadn't realized she was had spoken out loud.

"Just about everyone knows actually." Sakura thought, looking to the Hyuuga girl. "Well everyone except Naruto of course."

"Please S-Sakura-san d-don't speak s-so loudly." The shy girl stuttered pleadingly, looking to see if anyone had heard.

"Oh! Sorry and don't call me Sakura-san it makes me feel old, Sakura-chan sounds pretty good." The pink haired girl gave her a genuine smile.

"A-Alright Sakura-c-chan." Hinata returned the smile warmly.

"See that's better and less formal. Now, stop avoiding the question." The warm smile was replaced by a mischievous grin, with a look in the kunoichi's eyes to match.

"W . . . I . . . I-I d-d-don't re-really th-think he's i-interested in me." Hinata's stutter had increased significantly as she desperately tried to spit out her answer.

"And why wouldn't he." Sakura crossed her arms defiantly, standing up for her friend.

"Well I get in the w-way a lot a-and I'm not very st-strong and I'm r-really sh-shy." The meek girl replied as she tugged at the hem of her overly large coat. "B-Besides I th-think he would r-rather go out w-with you."

"Hinata you are totally tough, you even helped out Sasuke-kun when Naruto was knocked out and not once have you gotten in the way. Me on the other hand was of no use. Besides his little crush on me isn't anything deep."

It was true, though Hinata didn't realize it, she wasn't as clumsy or slow when it came to most activities when she was with her team. Of course she was much more nervous because she didn't wish to make a fool of herself in front of them, but when it really mattered Hinata did what was needed of her.

"Anyway enough about that I've been meaning to ask you something. It's like thirty degrees out here, why do you still always wear that coat even when we're training?"

Hinata blushed rapidly at the question and brought her arms up in front of her. "I . . . d-don't really l-like to sh-show a lot of my b-body . . . " She trailed off weakly with her last few words.

"Huh? Why not?" Several possibilities began running through the mind of the Haruno girl, as to why the seemingly pretty girl in front of her would want to hide.

Hinata's blush seemed to increase to the point her face might have exploded but none the less she began unzipping her coat and turning on an angle so only Sakura could see her black shirt.

Sakura's eye twitched in annoyance. "Ahh what the hell, that's just not fair."

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On the walk back to the Tazuna's house, Kakashi was explaining how, because she had completed the exercise, Sakura would be guarding the workers as they began working on the bridge once again.

Sakura, however, was too busy grumbling about being "ill-equipped"to comment and only waved her hand absently to confirm she had heard what was being said to her

Hinata had finally reached the first branches but now needed to reach the very top as well as master the technique. Her progress was slow as opposed to the others but it was progress none the less and the pearl-eyed kunoichi was very pleased with herself.

Although when anyone tried to compliment her, particularly Naruto, she would dismiss it and say she wasn't as good as the others.

The group of five ninja, soon returned to the small home of Tazuna the bridge builder, sometime around sunset at eight. As they entered the smell of rice and fish hi t them and the welcoming warmth of the house relaxed them allfrom their strenuous day of training. Strenuous for some anyway.

Sakura and especially Hinata, not having the almost inhuman stamina of their counterparts, were beat and ready for a little rest and relaxation. While Sasuke and Naruto, still out to prove himself as he was still a good six feet from Sasuke's elevation, were ready to engage in a metaphorical pissing contest, in the form of dinner.

As dinner began everything went normally, until about the fourth helping Sasuke and Naruto were inhaling. The two ate in complete silence and just as they didn't stop devouring food for a second, they also had an intense gaze that burned with fire that never once turned away from the other.

Almost simultaneously, the two genin had pained looks for a moment before leaning under the table and wrenching.

That was it! Sakura had been sitting trying to ignore the scene in front of her, silently eating her rice, but that was all she could stand.

"If your just gonna throw it up then don't eat it at all." She screamed at the stupidity of her friends.

"No. Need the energy." Sasuke choked out between mouthfuls, his eyes never leaving Naruto's equally competitive gaze.

"It's fine. Please, we haven't had so many people to dinner in too long. Eat as much as you'd like." Tazuna laughed from the end of the table at the antics of his young bodyguards.

Sighing Sakura turned back to her rice, muttering about crazy old men.

Hinata had been giggling at the whole seen, but her laughter was cut off as the door behind her slid open and in walked in a young boy, no older than nine or ten.

The door slammed shut drawing everyone's attention as the boy removed his sandals. He walked to the table and sat down at the place set for him without a word.

"Hello Inari," Tsunami beamed.

Instead of answering, the young boy simply looked at his mother before he began eating.

Sighing Tazuna turned from his downtrodden daughter and answered the unasked question on the faces of the assembled.

"This is my grandson Inari. Inari these are the ninja from Konoha who will be guarding the bridge until it's finished. Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto. They're heros." This caused the konoha-nin to smile warmly at the old man.

Tazuna's statement, however, had a different effect on Inari. His chopsticks hit his plate and he stood up, knocking over his seat, which startled Hinata and his mother who were sitting on either side of the boy.

"Hero! That's what you think? Heros don't exist and when you go up against Gato you end up dead."

"Inari that is enough! How can you say that. Your father was the greatest hero this village has ever been blessed with." Tazuna was on his feet now with his palms pressing into the table.

The sudden outburst from his elder had Inari cowering under Tazuna's stare.

"Father? Is he the one missing from that picture." Sakura, like the other guests, had remained silent but her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

Everyone at the table followed her finger to the picture featuring Inari, Tazuna, Tsunami and someone whose face was torn from the photo. At the site of the picture, Inari's eyes began to well up with tears but they didn't spill over.

Sighing Tazuna returned to his seat and began the story of the small villages hero and Inari's step-father. The story left all present with solemn looks and Inari began to cry openly. Hinata even couldn't keep from sniffing silently.

Inari ran from the room and was silently followed by a stone faced Naruto and no one noticed as Kakashi slipped out behind the genin. No one noticed Kakashi's exit because of the scene that Inari's departure triggered.

Tsunami, in an uncharacteristic show of anger, rounded on her father who seemly sat staring at the table. "You know better than to speak of that man around Inari. It upsets him so much!"

The remaining Konoha ninja all felt awkward as if they were intruding on a private matter. Which, in fact, they were in the sense it was rather private.

When Inari had ran off into the hall he stopped short of the stairs and broke down sobbing. Naruto walked up without a sound and picked up the boy, rather unceremoniously, by the collar and got right up to his face.

"Go on keep crying! Because it does a whole lot right? This weeping and winging, it gets you no where. Grow up. Be a man. Your father, he was a great man. You, you're an embarrassment to his memory." He squinted threateningly as if challenging the surprised boy.

Kakashi chose this moment to intervene and he stepped around the corner just as Naruto released Inari, who then slid down the wall to crouch on the floor slowly taking in what had been said to him.

"That's enough Naruto. You should go get some sleep you have a long day ahead of you and today was rather trying." The jounin's tone was even but anyone could see it was an order more than a suggestion.

Naruto was as surprised by his sensei's entrance as Inari was by his own, but he covered it quickly with a mask of indifference and he walked out of the hall to prepare for bed.

Kakashi watched to retreating form of his student then he turned to a very silent Inari who sat against the wall at the foot of the stairs. He walked over and crouched down in front of the boy and gave a smile that curved his one visible eye.

"He was just upset." No response. "You know he's probably just sick of crying himself, what he just said, I would bet a lot that it's very similar what he has spent nights telling himself." This got the attention he was hoping for.

"But unlike you he didn't have the luxury of a loving family like you so it's understandable he would be upset to see you fall to pieces like that." Kakashi stood up and turned to leave. "Naruto's tears dried up along time ago, his crying is over."

Inari spent the rest of the day looking out at the ocean with the missing picture of his father beside him on his desk.

"_Uzumaki . . . Naruto . . . "_

That night, Naruto's mind was filled with thoughts of the voice he had heard not much more than a day ago. The dark feeling he felt radiating from the door he could not open and the sense of both a need to protect and devour both directed at him simultaneously.

With the memories of the ominous voice swirling in his brain, Naruto found it near impossible to sleep. So he crept out of the house and moved to the area Team 7 had been using for training.

After training to near exhaustion Naruto collapsed on the grass in the centre of the trees. He only awoke when the light of the sun crept through the branches and pierced his sight. Upon awakening he beheld the form of a young women no older than himself crouched, picking herbs on the outskirt of the clearing.

He crept closer with utmost silence, unaware the one he was watching was fully aware of his presence. Naruto had almost put his hand on her shoulder.

"Hello. So your awake." She said still picking flowers and not turning around.

Naruto jumped back, surprised. "Uhh, hi there."

"You know, you'll catch a cold if you sleep out here like that. What were you doin out here anyway?"

Naruto grinned shyly. "I was uhh training actually and yea thanks I just didn't have it in me to get back."

"Training? So with that forehead protector, does that make you a ninja?"

The boy's voice swelled with pride. "That's right! Glad you noticed. I'm a mighty ninja of Konoha."

"So why are you training way out here?"

"I have to prove myself to a lot of people and protect even more." His voice still rang with pride but he was now totally serious.

"I guess that means you have precious people?" The herb gatherers voice seemed to trail back as she seemed to lose herself in thought.

Finally Naruto broke her from her reverie. "Yes I suppose you could say that but why do you ask?"

The girl had snapped back to earth but her eyes retained a glazed look. "When someone is protecting those truly important and precious that is when they are truly strong. Do you know what I mean?"

It was Naruto's turn to be lost in thought as he returned to memories of past battles. Protecting Iruka, Kakashi defending them from Zabuza.

"Yea. Yea I think I know what you mean." He replied with a reflective smile.

Naruto's visitor stood and began walking away.

"You'll become strong. I'll see you later. Oh. . . and I'm a guy."

This is about the point where Naruto's jaw hit the grass.

"_Bu-But your better lookin' than Sakura-chan. What a world."_

**Day Two:**

Five figures stood in the middle of a clearing surrounded by trees, four of which were covered with slash marks to the very highest of branches. Some of course with less marks than others.

Sakura had been relieved of guard duties for the day as Tazuna was having troubles with his workers, some of which no longer wished to continue work on the bridge for fear of their lives.

So instead of having her continue training, which would be pointless as she had mastered the skill, or just laying around which would be equal as useless, Kakashi had instructed her to oversee the training of the others and intervene where she felt her presence was needed.

Almost immediately, Naruto rushed at the tree and began climbing. He reached almost four feet below the level Sasuke had achieved the day before. Standing unsteadily he looked down on the shocked faces of his friends.

Everyone looked at him with disbelief as he got back to his feet. How could he have improved so much since just yesterday?

"So what do you guys think. Look how high I can get."

Hinata looked up at her crush with pride, even Kakashi looked happy with his progress, Sasuke just stood by impassively.

"Yea we're all impressed but get down here you show off!" Sakura called up, impatient he was catching up with Sasuke-kun.

As he climbed down, Naruto kept the smug look of accomplishment until he tripped on a root and tumbled the last foot to the ground. Hinata, who was only a few steps away, helped him up and managed to stutter out a congratulations before turning red and bringing her attention to her own tree and the instructions Sakura was giving her. Kakashi took his leave and Naruto and Sasuke were left on their side of the clearing.

Sasuke began walking over to his blonde friend and looking around to make sure no one was looking he leaned in to ask Naruto a question.

"Ano, yesterday you asked Hinata for uhh some help. What did she say?" The Uchiha prodigy whispered.

Naruto's first reaction was to deny the dark boy the information, but when he saw the almost shy look on Sasuke's face he relented.

Kakashi was watching from around a tree outside the area and smiled on seeing the interaction of his subordinates. Especially the conversation Sasuke and Naruto were having about visualization.

"Heh good to see they're still growing." He thought with a thoughtful smile before he walked off back to Tazuna's to rest.

Naruto and Sasuke stood and nodded to each other before setting looks of determination on their faces and racing for the trees. After about three hours of practising Naruto was nearly equal with Sasuke and they both continued to progress farther to the top.

Suddenly they both stopped and looked up to see Hinata cheering from the an impressive height at the peek of her tree.

Hinata stood from the very top of the tree looking down at her team beaming up at her. She was proud, for one of the first times in her life she was truly proud of her accomplishment. With no one around to demean her for not doing things fast enough or for her skills being inadequate. The warmth that spread through her and the sheer height of the tree made her light headed and she began falling.

The pearl-eyed kunoichi plummeted to the ground with the sound of wind and yelling passing unnoticed through her mind as she didn't even have enough composure to scream. The sheer exhaustion of her final training left her helpless.

With just mere seconds before contact she felt herself begin rising again and with just enough courage to open her eyes, Hinata could see an orange-clad chest leading up to a face dominated by bright cerulean eyes and loud, blonde hair.

Naruto looked down at the small girl he had rushed instinctively to save and had jumped just in time to catch her. As the two flew through the branches Naruto's foot caught on a protruding limb and with small squeaks from both "ninja" they landed ungracefully on the forest floor, Naruto under Hinata and rather sore.

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Now with both Hinata and Sakura finished with their training and the tree climbing technique perfected, the male half of the team were left to train alone.

They would only return just as dinner was beginning, late into the night and it wasn't odd for them not to show up until the next morning, skipping dinner all together. Their rate of progress was staggering and their stamina was almost unbelievable. Every night the two, now closer friends, would return the small home beaten and battered many hours after Sakura and Hinata had returned with Tazuna after a long day of guarding the bridge.

This process continued for several days with Naruto spending his nights out training, until, on the seventh night, Sasuke returned carrying a very broken looking Naruto. Though the Uchiha prodigy didn't look a whole lot better.

Sakura, Hinata and Tsunami rushed to the side of the two just in time to catch them as Sasuke's last reserves failed him and he began falling. Kakashi glanced up over his book expectantly.

"Well?" Was his only greeting.

Wearily Sasuke and Naruto looked up defiantly and with pride Naruto answered for the both of them.

"We both made it all the way up the tree. I even had to help him a bit." The blonde added with a nod in Sasuke's direction. Earning him an elbow to the side which was met with pained looks from both sides.

"It seems you four have a few days off as I'm still not fully healed and neither will be Zabuza." Kakashi flipped lazily at a page of his book as he addressed his students.

"How long do you think we'll get?" Naruto asked, falling asleep as he hung off Sasuke.

"I'd say you've got two days."

"That's good to hear . . . "

Naruto was out cold before he hit the floor.

**Author's Notes:**

**For those who haven't noticed yet I will be posting story updates on my profile when available and I hope this will keep my motivated so the large delay in chapters, as I experienced with this chapter, will not happen again.**

Anyway other than that, read and give me some feedback. Ideas are always welcome as are criticisms. And at anytime someone has a concern, then please contact me. Thanks X)


	9. Chapter 9: The Bridge Linking Hope to He

_**A Team of Five**_

I am truly sorry for the delay. My word processor crapped out on me so that wasn't a whole lota fun. Plus I had a trouble with this chapter, don't know why, just did.

Someone said I should show a little bit of Hinata's home life, so I figured it wasn't a bad idea. So I threw some of that in there.

_**Chapter 9: The Bridge Linking Hope to Hell**_

Yawning Naruto crawled out of his covers and walked unsteadily to his clothes and dressed. As he walked into the hall he could hear the voices of his team and the others in the kitchen. The blonde stepped into the room with a big grin on his face.

"Morning guys!"

Everyone stopped eating/talking and turned to face their companion.

Kakashi leaned over to Sasuke. "See? Told ya he wasn't in a coma."

Sasuke dug in his pocket and handed his sensei some cash before he began glaring at his breakfast.

Naruto walked to his seat, eyeing his team like they were speaking a different language. "So uhh what do you guys wanna train in for our last few days?"

The whole table face faulted. Upon resurfacing first, Kakashi looked to his small student like he pitied his ignorance. "Naruto we don't really have time to practice anything. We're all out of time, we need to be at the bridge as protection again." Seeing the look of utter confusion on Naruto's face he continued. "You see . . . well you've been out cold for nearly three whole days."

This time it was Naruto's turn to act over dramatically. "What the hell do you mean three days! Why didn't anyone wake me up!" He yelled, just as everyone had agreed he would.

"And no one woke me up, why?"

"S-Sensei said you w-worked hard so we weren't to di-disturbed you or S-Sasuke-san. He w-woke up only ha-halfway through yesterday." Hinata said from the opposite end of the table.

This seemed sufficient to Naruto. He wasn't about to tell them why he slept so much more, especially since he had caught up to Sasuke. Plus, it helped him to know that his personal rival happened to be out for almost two days himself.

As Naruto sat down and began inhaling his breakfast of fish and rice as well as a little ramen tsunami specially made for him. Hinata returned her downcast gaze back to her bowl of rice. She continued to dwell on the dream that had haunted her the last few days. The interaction with her father and his harsh yet protective words that were spoken on the day they had left for their mission.

The young girls dream played out exactly as that day had.

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_Hinata ran home to prepare for the mission to guard the strange bridge builder to is home country of Waves. Kakashi-sensei had given them two hours to prepare and meet and the Konoha's gate. _

_Upon reaching her home Hinata walked through the gate and up the steps_. _On the way to her room she was stopped by the voice of her father, which was coming from his study. Turning around Hinata tried to control her slight mannerisms that would allude her nervousness and would be easily perceptible to a Hyuuga of her fathers level._

_Taking a deep breath Hinata stepped into the office and saw her father writing at his desk. Hearing his daughter enter, Hyuuga Hiashi looked up from his work with an impassive look, surveying the girl. _

"_Why are you home so early?"_

_Most people would be shocked by this question, but when your father can see through walls you can't keep much to yourself. Besides Hinata knew she would have to see her father before she left anyway. Still, it didn't make it any easier._

"_T-Team 7 received a C r-rank mission to-today, Otou-sama. We are to guard a b-bridge builder until he re-reaches the c-country of waves." Hinata spoke clearly, though her gaze refused to stay on her father for long._

_Hiashi seemed to be digesting this for a moment before he returned to his work. "Stay out of the way, if it comes to a fight then just stay behind and try to learn something. And please don't embarrass the clan or me."_

_Hinata cast her eyes downward and turned to leave. But before she escaped into the tranquility of the hallway, her father stopped her once again._

"_Oh, and Hinata, stay away from Uzumaki-_san_ as much as possible."_ It seemed to strain the Hyuuga lord just to give Naruto the simple honorific.

_Without even turning around Hinata continued to walk out and show as little emotion as she could, though her insides seemed to be tearing apart at the sting to her pride and her Naruto-kun. When Hinata had made it to her room she began packing as she tried to hold back the silent tears._

_When her preparations were finished, Hinata still had almost an hour before she had to meet the team so she decided to take a walk to the Hokage monument. Leaping from her window the quiet loner began walking to the place that always inspired her with thoughts of the one who always brought her strength._

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The dream would end just as she watched Naruto walking to her at the gate. When thinking about it, the dream ended on a happy note but it still brought her memories of how weak she was, how much her father didn't approve of her, and how Naruto was hated by almost everyone and for seemingly no reason, in her eyes.

Of course Hinata had intended to follow Hiashi's words aside from staying clear of Naruto. But during the battle with Zabuza and Naruto's injury all thoughts of her father went straight out the window. Thinking back on it now, Hinata had been so relieved to see Naruto back on his feet she hadn't questioned it, just how did he manage to heal himself and even manage to free Kakashi after sustaining a near fatal wound.

Little did Hinata know that this question had gone through the mind of nearly every member of her team, aside from Kakashi. No more so than Naruto himself. Whenever the young genin had time to think to himself his thoughts seemed to stray to the door and the dark voice radiating from beyond it.

Everyone was broken from their separate pondering by Kakashi who had risen from his seat.

"I think its time we get going."

Team 7 and Tazuna looked up to Kakashi with utmost seriousness and rose to leave. Tsunami looked on the verge of tears. The time was up and the odds the group would encounter Zabuza, and maybe even the mysterious youth, were very good.

As the five ninja and solitary bridge master made their way to the almost completed bridge, Kakashi sensed something as they were nearly out of sight of Tazuna's home. Turning around the six companions could clearly see three of Gato's men, making their way around the house.

"Dammit, I'd say that just raised the odds of running into the mist-nin now. Sasuke I'll send you back to take care of them. Catch up when your finished, we'll head to the bridge as fast as we can incase Zabuza is there already and," Before Kakashi could finish, Naruto cut in.

"No! I'm going back. If they are there already you'll need Sasuke-teme, I have more stamina so you all stay fresh for the battle ahead." All present were shocked by the level of forethought put into this logic. It was not the same Naruto standing before them, he had taken on a new sense of seriousness but with the same cockiness and confidence he always had.

"No Sasuke is faster and will be able to catch up faster." Kakashi ordered back.

Just as Naruto was about to protest he received support from an unlikely source. Tazuna had walked up to stand eye level with Kakashi.

"The longer we stand here and argue the more in danger my family is. I trust him," the old man poked a thumb in Naruto's direction, "let 'em go. I think it's time Inari sees a real hero again any."

With his trade mark grin and before another word could be spoken, Naruto took off down the slope and back to his home away from home.

Sighing and defeated, Kakashi looked at the rest of his team. "Alright, now that we won't have to worry about them, let's get going."

With that said the Konoha-nin took off at a slow pace, for them, so Tazuna could keep up.

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Naruto reached the house only seconds after the three samurai had entered. As he prepared himself, Naruto could hear the sounds of the house being torn up and then a dull thud, and the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Tearing open the door the young ninja streaked into the house to see two very pissed thugs, a scared Tsunami and a protective looking Inari holding a frying pan and standing over the third swordsman, who was now unconscious. As the two men began advancing on Tsunami, Inari jumped down from the table, which he had used to get the height needed to strike down the man who attacked his mother. Naruto chose this as the time to interfere. Attempting to utilize the art of surprise, he silently summoned a shadow clone which he sent at the attackers.

The clone sped past the other occupants of the room and, while speeding up, bounced off the back wall and with a double close-line, drove the hired thugs through the wall behind Naruto with a puff of smoke.

Standing shakily the men drew their katana and rushed Naruto only to have him puff out of existence, revealing a second shadow clone.

"Up here," was the only warning they received as the blonde Konoha ninja dove from the roof and planted a foot into each of the samurai's faces.

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Coming to a halt, Team 7 and Tazuna, minus Naruto, stood at the completed end of the bridge. Looking out at the stretch of metal and concrete that disappeared into a think mist a hundred yards away, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata and Tazuna beheld a site that could only be described as brutal.

All around lay the dead corpses of the majority of Tazuna's crew. Some lay slain with needles in there necks, others had been cut clean in half, and still others appeared to have had their heads removed or stab wounds in their abdomens.

The scene was silent, but for the moans of a man who dragged himself, clutching a deep wound in his side, toward the five occupants of the bridges end. Sakura was about to run out the half-dead man, when the near silence was ceased by the sound of something cutting through the air.

Just as the wounded worker made it ten feet from the ninja, his eyes shot open in silent pain and he fell motionless. All eyes went to the source of the dart, which was three figures standing on the edge of the mist, two standing in front of the third, they were visible as Zabuza and the masked hunter-nin.

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Naruto finished the knot on the ropes he used to bind the three intruders together. He stood looking down on the three weaklings tied in front of him.

"Thanks."

Naruto turned around at the small voice he had heard from the direction of the house. Standing slightly behind him was Inari who stared intently at his feet.

"You probably could've taken care of them eh." Naruto laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood.

"Actually I only got lucky with the first one."

Forcing himself to look up Inari told the loud ninja how he had only gotten behind the first guy because Tsunami had threatened to scream for help. Jumping on the table the small boy had managed to get one good blow before he could get close to his mother. If Naruto hadn't shown up the other two were gonna take his mom to the bridge as Gato's hostage and kill him for sport.

"Look, I owe you a lot. If you going to the bridge then I'll try to get all the help I can. Even if your all as tough as you think, you can't stand up to a small army." Inari was now staring directly into Naruto's eyes. The coldness and hard light wasn't there anymore, making Naruto smile slightly.

"Thanks, I'll see later then." With that Naruto took off. Turning around to look at Inari as he continued running. "Oh and if there is gonna be that many you'd better hurry up gaki."

"Just don't die before we get there baka." Inari yelled back.

"_That's the first time I've seen him smile in far too long."_ Tsunami thought fondly as she watched her son.

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"Welcome back Kakashi, and you even ditched one of those brats."

"Zabuza! I'll give you this last chance before I kill you, abandon Gato, he will betray you. You'll never get your money." Kakashi stood protectively in front of the genin, who had encircled Tazuna in their guard again.

"Fortune telling now Kakashi? This isn't the first time you foretold my demise. You were wrong then and you're wrong now! Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Ten water clones materialized from the surrounding mist and reached for the giant blade hanging from each one of their backs.

Lazily, Kakshi turned to Sasuke. "Your up Sasuke."

Smirking Sasuke flashed away. Each clone flinched before the Uchiha reappeared in his original spot and the ten Zabuza's all splashed back into the water they originated from. All eyes landed on Zabuza who didn't seem perturbed in the least.

"Even if it is only a tenth of your strength, Zabuza, it's sad a genin could handle your clones so easily." The shadow in the mist adjusted the sword hanging from his belt.

Paying the voice little attention other than a small sneer Zabuza turned his focus back on the battle at hand.

"Well, it looks like you have a rival in speed Haku." The mist-nin commented to his masked companion. Looking back to Team 7, "What say we let the children fight while you and I settle things?"

Without removing his stare from Zabuza's, Kakashi lifted the head band blocking his left eye. "Don't underestimate him."

Just like before Sasuke, and Haku, flashed away and returned to focus in the center of the distance between the two forces, with kunai sparking against one another. Separating and clashing again and again, the two shinobi continued their taijutsu battle. The others hung back watching the almost dance like fight.

Finally the two stopped, once again where they began, and Sasuke heard Haku laugh softly to himself.

"What?"

"Well in our little bout you have given me three advantages." The voice sounded almost feminine but Sasuke seemed able to tell it was a male, while also no older than himself or the others.

"Oh yea, and what would those be?" Sasuke asked smugly, thinking it not much more than an attempt to distract him.

"Well first off, you've shown me your power early. We're surround by water. And finally, I've occupied one of your hands." Haku finished with a grin, though it went unnoticed behind his hunter-nin's mask.

At the inquisitive look on Sasuke's face, Haku's smirk only grin and he raised his free hand into a handle seal. Everyone fell into shock, except for Zabuza who only laughed and the figure behind the mist who's feature's were still hidden from view.

Without a word of warning or even calling his jutsu, Haku activated his technique and the puddles around them shot out in the form of razor-sharp needles that streaked for Sasuke's vitals.

The dark Uchiha dove forward taking Haku into a roll to avoid the projectiles. After the tussle they leapt apart and stood squaring off again, until Haku decided to end things.

Flipping through one-handed seals again, Haku performed another strange technique. At this time Kakashi, who had been observing the battle with his Sharigan, now realized Haku's strange abilities were actually a bloodline and his hope for helping Sasuke was dwindling.

"Demonic Ice Mirrors." Haku said softly as the water shaped into several large mirrors around Sasuke.

As the young ex-mist ninja stepped into the mirror behind him, Kakashi launched himself to help his student, before being stopped by Zabuza.

"Sorry Kakashi but I need my chance for revenge. I've dissected your eye and know it holds no power over me." With that Zabuza disappeared into an ever thickening veil of mist.

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Naruto could sense the tension and killer's intent hanging in the air as he grew increasingly closer to the bridge. There seemed to be a blanket of almost impenetrable mist hanging over the air. Leaping up, the young ninja soared through the haze and coming out into a clear spot with strands of fog trailing behind him, Naruto landed on all fours.

Naruto absorbed the situation rather quickly and ran to get to Sasuke and help him out as he was being turned into a human pincushion. Though the Uchiha managed to keep moving and was slowly being able to dodge more easily.

But just as Naruto was within distance of the strange ice mirrors, that projected the image of the masked ninja, he ran straight into something that wasn't there before and tumbled back to land on his feet.

"I am sorry, Naruto-san, but I cannot allow you to interrupt the battle between Haku-san and Sasuke-san and dishonor the both of them."

Naruto looked up at the imposing figure before him. It was a classic image of a samurai. From bottom to top he wore sandals, a gray hakama and brown obi. His eyes were both lazy and piercing, a deep grey almost black that held no warmth but no malice.

The feature that truly stuck Naruto was the swords hanging at the strange mans side. He carried the two traditional swords of a samurai the short stabbing blade and the killing sword. What awed Naruto was the energy that seemed to pulsate from the katana. It almost seemed to pulse as the tall mans hand reached for the hilt.

As Naruto slipped into his attack stance the man didn't move an inch, he just continued to stare straight into the eyes of the konoha ninja.

"Please Naruto-san I will ask you only was more not to try and interfere with their fight." The unknown man said in the same low eerily calm monotone.

"Who the hell are you! And what right do you have to keep me from helping Sasuke!" Naruto yelled as his body tensed up, ready to attack at a moments notice.

"My name is Ronin. And it's my duty to defend their honor but keeping you from interrupting their fight. My right is Tetsu-ko here." The samurai now know as Ronin said, as he drew his sword with a fluid motion, slipping into his own stance.

They stared, sizing each other up before Naruto took off like a spring luanching straight for Ronin. There were no emotions visible on the face of Naruto's opponent but his eyes seemed to show disappointment, but at the same time a great sense of respect.

"_There's a lot of honor and loyalty in this one. I can't tell if its courage or stupidity that lets him go on like this."_

"Very well then. Come to my blade the lady thirsts to drain your blood!"

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So Tetsu-ko means lady of steel for anyone who cares :P and I'm again sorry for the huge delay but all my ideas keep coming for later in the story instead of the part I'm currently writing so that's a pain.

Anyway read a review.


	10. Chapter 10: Gathering Mist

_**A Team of Five**_

Well ladies and gentlemen I'm officially in the double digits in chapters and triples for reviews. I'm proud I've done well enough to keep you all reading. I've started writing my second story but I'm not gonna be putting out chapters until I've finished this story since my updates have slowed down for this story by itself. Anyway thanks a lot for the support.

_**Chapter 10: Gathering Mist**_

As Sasuke was hidden in the mist fighting off Haku's strange mirror technique, and Kakashi was trying to beat down Zabuza and end things, before Sasuke succumb to the awesome assault of the young mist-nin, both Sakura and Hinata stood back feeling useless.

Both knew that they would be little help against Zabuza with such an accomplished ninja as Kakashi fighting. At the same time they would be able to do nothing against the strange bloodline of Haku.

Just as hope dwindled and the mist was about to close in Sakura saw a new figure come from the side of the bridge. With her superior sight even without activating the Byakugan, Hinata could see that the figure that had come on the scene was really Naruto, but when hope started to fill her. She saw him. The one that had stood alone in the mist when Zabuza and Haku stepped forward. The one who radiated with a silent strength.

The mystery warrior was now standing between Naruto and Sasuke. Hinata and Sakura watched them speak for a while and then the samurai drew his sword and charged to counter Naruto.

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Kakashi stood, lost in the mist, using everyone of his senses he had to fend of the attacks Zabuza launched from the safety of his haze.

The laughter of the devil of the mist filled the air as the sounds of other battles could be heard all around. Kakashi had seen Naruto come and engage the previously hidden member of Zabuza's team. The fight between Sasuke and Haku was still visible from Kakashi's position as that area seemed free of any of the fog that plagued the rest of the bridge.

"Your brats seem to be having some difficulty Kakashi. I hope they don't die too soon I would hate for you to miss it." The sinister taunt floated in the air, the mist-nin's words seemed to come from everywhere at once. "I know how to defeat your eye. It holds no power against me now."

Tired of the cat and mouse game Kakashi decided to end it now. Sliding a scroll from the pouch on his jacket, he began flipping through hand seals before unraveling the scroll. As the paper summoning flipped through the air, the Sharigan master bit his thumb and ran the blood along the length of the scroll before snapping it shut again.

"I don't have the time to deal with you." Kakashi finished his sealing and slammed the scroll into the ground with both hands. "If I can't see you then I'll smell you out devil."

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The sound of ringing metal reverberated around the area as ninja met samurai and kunai hit katana. Naruto struggled with both hands as Ronin deftly flicked his sword with one hand, sending the young shinobi sliding several paces backward.

Before Naruto was fully prepared again, Ronin had already charged and slipped under his adversaries guard to send the spine of his sword into his kidney, dropping Naruto to his knees and his kunai clattering to the ground.

Wide eyed and breathing heavily, Naruto struggled desperately to regain his composure and stand up. It was an uphill battle.

"Do you see yet? No matter how much you _want _to get passed me you cannot. I am genuinely sorry." The older man's voice remained calm and almost distant.

Shakily Naruto rose to a standing position and got into a defensive stance. His eyes constantly shifting from those of his opponents to Sasuke, who continued to dodge attacks from Haku and the mirrors of ice. His efforts seemed to be in vain, though he was getting faster and dodging more and more he still received the odd hit and Haku was not slowing in the least.

Growling the blonde Genin returned his gaze to the seemingly stoic samurai before him. Breathing heavily Naruto began venting his frustration. "You talk of honor . . . and yet you work with assassins, for a man. . . . that is poisoning this country. What does a man like that know of honor!"

Before he could continue anymore, he was frozen by an intense glare filled with killer intent. "Do not speak to me of honor. I served my liege lord faithfully as a samurai guardian directly under the fire lord." The words almost stung more than Naruto's side, though the voice that uttered them did not change. The young blonde's stance dropped and his face was a mixture of pure shock and confusion.

"But if that's true than why do you now work for that scum Gato, and why do you no longer serve fire country!" Naruto's voice had all the pleading of a person talking with a long lost comrade.

"To serve your master loyally, to fight and to die with honor, these are the only things important to a samurai. But I was unable to do any of those and so I was given the greatest shame of all. I was not given permission to commit seppuku and was cast out by my lord." Ronin continued with almost a hit of disdain in his voice but not directed to Naruto or the thought of Gato. "I work for 'that scum Gato' because that is the fate of a rogue samurai, to work as a bounty hunter and hired killer."

Naruto continued to look on with a mixture of pity and understanding. "I'm sorry for whatever happened to you," his voice took on a hardened edge as the blonde slipped into an offensive stance, "but if you or anyone else gets in the way of me helping my friends, I'll kill you."

Ronin closed his eyes and collected himself. This was not going to be a merciful attack, Naruto had left him no choice and now, because he wouldn't stop, he would strike him down. The samurai raised the Tetsu-ko over his head for a downward swipe that would split the ninja in half.

In the middle of Naruto's mad, blind charge at his opponent he was blind sided and tackled to the left. He was brought down hard but it saved him as the deadly blade of the rouge swordsman was driven into the concrete tearing apart right where the leaf shinobi would have been a second later.

Turning around Ronin prepared to slash Naruto and whoever had rescued him. What he found was Naruto and Sakura in a heap with Naruto being pummeled for not getting of her. Before he could process any more than that. A blinding pain in his chest registered to his mind and fell to one knee propping himself up by his katana.

Naruto and Sakura had picked themselves up and were now standing beside Hinata, Byakugan flaring, sliding out of her Jyuken stance. They stared down at Ronin until he forced his breathing steady and shoved the pain to the back of his mind. Standing up he surveyed his situation. Naruto wasn't much of a problem, but with three ninjas he may have some difficulties. But just as a plan started to formulate in his mind.

"Naruto we'll take care of him you go for Sasuke-kun." The pink-haired one called over to the boy at her right.

"What? No, you two won't be able to . . . " Naruto was cut off by Hinata who stood on the other side of Sakura.

"N-Naruto-kun go. We can handle him." Hinata's eyes never left the ash eyes of the swordsman.

Naruto looked to his companions. They didn't look away from Ronin, waiting for an attack. He couldn't believe they had come for him. He wasn't stupid, he knew he couldn't take the samurai on alone. He had no choice but to put his faith in them.

Nodding his head. Naruto turned back to Sasuke and Haku. Sasuke was slowing down and looked much like a pincushion.

"I still cannot allow that. I'm sorry Naruto-san but if you try to pass I will be forced to kill you."

"And that's exactly why we're here." Sakura grinned wickedly and gave Hinata the signal to enact the rushed plan they had devised after seeing Naruto engage the third member of Zabuza's team.

Sakura rushed straight at the somber warrior, throwing kunai to his left and right, making it impossible for him to move to either side. As she reached him, Sakura slid past him to reveal Hinata behind her with a chakra charged palm directed at his abdomen. Attempting to leap back Ronin found himself locked in a bear hug from Sakura. Hinata's attack connected and blood escaped from Ronin's mouth.

Naruto couldn't believe it. He couldn't even get a hit on this guy and yet the two of them worked together and were kickin' his ass. He was confident that they had a hold of the situation now and leapt off for Sasuke.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sasuke found himself in an odd situation. On the one hand he was beginning to pick up on the actions of his opponent, while on the other he only managed to dodge about eighty percent of the senbon. Meaning he was taking on more hits than he would have liked.

This had been going on for a while now. Haku would move around from mirror to mirror and attack at high speeds, while Sasuke dodged. Every so often the Uchiha would send out his own attacks but to no avail.

Finally he was wearing him down. The boy looked like a human pincushion and though he had purposely avoid critical areas, Haku knew the dark boy wouldn't last much longer, the fatigue coupled with blood loss would soon catch up to him. The effects could be seen even now.

That's when it happened. Sasuke took a bad hit to the back of his leg and he fell to one knee and couldn't get back up. Haku stopped moving and looked down on the younger boy. He could respect his will but the fact was, he was a dead man walking from the moment he was trapped in the mirror jutsu. The ex-hunter-nin raised his needle to give the finished blow as Sasuke kneeled before him with glazed eyes, desperately trying to get his leg working.

"You never had a hope of defeating me. Your low-level fire jutsu can't melt my ice and you can't move fast enough to catch me. Your too young, you don't have what it takes to kill your own heart and take the life of another. I don't take joy in killing but as a shinobi I am able to plunge a kunai in my own heart an fulfill my role as a tool." _"Die well."_

The senbon whizzed through the air with a whistling sound. Sasuke looked up and froze with fear as the world seemed to slow to his eyes and his death rained down on him. Then everything seemed to go black . . . no orange.

Naruto stood with open arms before Sasuke. Several needles stuck out from his torso as he glared up at the mist-nin hiding in the mirror.

"D-Dobe?" Sasuke looked up with wide eyes at his orange clad companion.

Sucking in breath Naruto stood straight, yanking a senbon from his stomach. "No one. . . fucks . . . with the teme . . . but me . . . asshole."

Removing the last of the kunai, Naruto felt eased as the holes closed with a hiss. Though no one noticed this accept Naruto but he didn't see anything weird with it as it had always been like that. Whenever he got injured it would heal within a days time, no matter how bad.

Sasuke finally go shakily to his feet and pulled the shard needle from his leg. Turning around, Naruto flashed him the trade mark smile. "You . . . you idiot! We could have destroyed the ice if you had stayed out there!"

Naruto's face fell into confusion. "Huh? Wait a minute I just saved your sorry ass. You should be a little more grateful."

Sasuke crossed his arms a turned away. "I had everything under control."

"Sure you did. You were a second away from becoming a human-kabob."

Haku sweat dropped.

A senbon embedded itself between the two drawing their attention back to their predicament.

Naruto and Sasuke looked up and glared hard at their assailant. Growling, Naruto leapt into the air at the mirror containing Haku's image. "Naruto don't!" But it was too late, Haku had switched mirrors and struck Naruto with several times before changing again. As Sasuke stood back and watched he could just barely see the image of Haku moving that he couldn't see before. At the same time, without his knowledge, his eyes had flashed crimson.

With a thud Naruto hit the floor hard. He got up slowly and once he was standing he attacked again. It happened just as before, except this time Sasuke managed to almost follow Haku's movements as his eyes once again briefly turned blood red.

This time when Naruto stood, shakily, Sasuke stopped him from attacking again. "That way won't work he's much faster than either of us. But I have a plan."

After a quick talk Naruto suddenly launched into another attack. This time when Haku shifted mirrors Sasuke unleashed the grand fireball jutsu at the mirror he was traveling to next.

It was amazing, it was like his brain processed everything faster and his eyes could move faster than his body could ever hope to move. Sasuke moved as fast as he could to intercept Haku, but missed as he disappeared within another mirror of ice.

Naruto landed back on his feet since he hadn't been repeatedly stabbed with senbon again. He watched on as Sasuke seemed to predict Haku's movements. He wasn't moving faster than the missing-nin he was just always there first.

Sasuke wasn't getting anywhere with this course of action so Naruto decided to make himself useful and began throwing kunai at Haku but didn't come close to catching him.

Haku attacked again catching both off guard, while they were still in the air he attacked striking both Naruto and Sasuke with numerous needles before they could land. The two landed in a heap on the ground below, and breathing heavily Naruto shakily stood up and Sasuke, who had retained by far the most damage, got onto one knee as he tried desperately to get control over his breathing.

"You see? You can't win. You don't have the intent to kill necessary. I fight for my precious person, when fighting for those precious to us that is how we become truly powerful. You can't defeat me." Haku looked down on the two ninja with pity hidden behind his mask.

Without warning Haku sent a wave of needles raining down on Naruto. Once he was out of the way it would be much easier to take care of the Sasuke who was able to keep up with his speed.

Naruto didn't stand a chance, his vision couldn't even follow the speed at which the senbon traveled. Let alone his body keep up. Sasuke on the other hand could follow the deadly needles with the Sharigan that now flared in place of his onyx eyes. On eye had a single tomoe while the other had two. The last Uchiha wasn't even aware he had activated the famous bloodline of his family but he knew he could follow the attacks of their opponent. He also knew if he didn't do something Naruto would be killed.

Said ninja stood frozen with his eyes shut tight ready for the pain that would soon ensue but none came. Naruto slowly opened his eyes to see Sasuke standing before him just as he had before. Only this time the senbon had been aimed at vital areas.

Sasuke coughed up blood as he sank to the ground. Naruto caught him on the way down, laying him on his back. The dark avenger looked up at Naruto with unfocused eyes. "N-Now we're even drop out."

"You bastard I didn't ask you to save me!" Naruto yelled down at Sasuke but he was already gone.

"I'm sorry for you lose. He was young I didn't wish to kill either of you, but it was for my precious person. It is my dream, my goal in life, to protect and serve him." Haku said from above in his mirror of ice.

One thing that had always made Naruto stand out were the strange marks that ran up his cheeks. There were three small lines that wen the length of his cheeks on both sides. But now they seemed think like scars instead of lines and they ran the length of his face from jaw to eyes.

Growling and with a hard, stone cold look in his eyes Naruto stood up staring down Haku, who's face he couldn't even see. His voice was even but with all the underlying menace that it took to send shivers up the spine of Haku, no matter how well trained he was. "Dream? Sasuke had dreams, important people. You son of a bitch he was my friend!"

That seemed to be the last thread of sanity Naruto could retain. Something inside seemed to snap and his chakra flared, raging uncontrollably. Haku was completely shocked. The chakra of the younger boy before him seemed impossible. It poured from his body and seemed to be taking its own shape. The evil head of a fox hung over Naruto before all the chakra returned to him. The strangest part of all was it was a deep red.

After all the energy had returned to him, Naruto stood back up from the position he had taken on the ground. Standing on all fours like an animal. His face was in shadow until he looked up into the invisible eyes of the mist ninja. The eyes that were once a deep sea blue were no a demonic crimson. The human pupils had been replaced by feral slits running the height of his retina. Even his hair seemed more spiked, and stood further on end.

In another burst Naruto released a wave of chakra shattering the mirrors circling around him in one attack. Haku, who was unprepared for this, spun through the air before hitting the ground hard.

He got to his feet just in time for Naruto to come storming across the bridge and deliver an earth shaking blow to the face. Haku's mask shattered as he fell the ground again.

Growling with unchecked fury Naruto glared down at the one who had killed Sasuke. Then it hit him. This was the boy he had met while training. How could he have not remembered it? Haku that was the name of the boy in the meadow, he couldn't believe he had forgot.

Haku stood back up, he didn't get into any type of stance. He just stood in front of Naruto ready for the death blow. But it never came. Naruto had calmed down, he was thinking clearly and the affects of the red chakra had receded. Leaving Naruto looking like his normal self.

"Well then why don't you finish me? Where is all the intensity you had before?"

"The one you spoke of that day, your special person, it was Zabuza? Why are you so ready to die now?"

"As Zabuza-san's tool I am worth nothing if I am weak. You beat me, I am no longer of any use to him. Please I don't like putting you in this position but give me an honorable end."

Naruto looked down at the kunai he had pulled, ready to strike Haku in his blind rage. He was all ready to drive it into his throat and avenge Sasuke. But now?

Haku closed his eyes and opened his arms to reveal his torso. Ready for the end, ready for his end. Naruto drew his arm back and was ready to launch himself forward. Inches from Haku's heart, Naruto shut his eyes and put all his force into the next lunge but all he hit was air.

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Seals and letters began pouring from the scroll as they seemed to break and fissure the earth, traveling out from Kakashi's position. As the jutsu completed the mist began to fade to reveal Zabuza about hundred yards from where the Konoha-jounin stood. The reason for the clearing mist became evident as Zabuza was revealed to be held in position by several large dogs with blue coats and Konoha forehead protectors.

Kakashi casually walked up to Zabuza as the mist began to fade. The mist-nin glared back as Konoha's assassin slipped into a new stance.

"I promised to kill you last time. This time I'll get you for sure. I know over a thousand copied techniques but you will fall by a jutsu I created myself." Kakashi went through a series of hand seals in a blur and thrust his palm down, with his other hand wrapped around the wrist of the first.

The wind began blowing around Kakashi's arm and power was gathering around his clawed hand. Suddenly his fist exploded in static chakra as the air was filled with the harsh screeching of unseen birds.

"_There's so much chakra it . . . it's actually visible to the eye!"_

"RAIKIRI!"

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Ok it's a little smaller than I wanted, I wanted to put Sakura and Hinata's fighting with Ronin in I really did. Especially since everyone wanted a little more action on their part. But if I did I wouldn't been able to update for another week. Of course anyone who reads my profile for updates on my story would know that already but whatever. Of course my trip would been the next chapter won't come out for a while unless I just put out a small one. Anyway throw me some reviews I wanna see plenty when I get back.


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